Gemini AI now auto-summarizes Gmail emails
Google’s AI assistant takes a more proactive role in email management
Google has supercharged its Gemini AI capabilities in Gmail with a new automatic email summary feature. The tech giant announced that AI-generated summaries will now appear at the top of relevant emails without requiring user activation.
From manual to automatic AI assistance
When Gemini first appeared in Gmail’s side panel last year, users had to manually request email summaries. The new implementation makes AI-powered summaries appear automatically when the system detects lengthy email threads or complex conversations.
The summaries dynamically update as new replies arrive, keeping users informed about thread developments without reading every message. Google maintains the option to generate manual summaries through the existing button in the email header and Gemini side panel.
The reliability challenge of AI summarization
This rollout continues the rapid integration of generative AI into daily productivity tools, though not without potential concerns. Similar AI summary features from other companies have faced accuracy issues:
- Apple paused its notification summarization after producing incorrect news headlines
- Google’s own AI Overviews in Search has delivered inaccurate information at times
Availability and customization options
The automatic email summarization feature currently works only for English-language emails. Regional defaults vary, with several markets like the EU and UK having smart features disabled by default due to regulatory considerations.
Individual users can enable or disable the feature through Gmail Settings under “Smart features,” while Workspace administrators can control it via the Admin console.