Google has unveiled a new AI Inbox for Gmail designed to provide a personalized overview of your tasks and keep you informed about important updates. Gmail is also launching AI Overviews in search and a Grammarly-like “Proofread” feature. Additionally, Gmail is bringing several AI features that were previously available only to paid users to all users.
The new AI Inbox tab features two sections: “Suggested to-dos” and “Topics to catch up on.” The first section displays summaries of top priority emails that require an action, such as a reminder that you have a bill due tomorrow or that you need to call your dermatologist to confirm your mailing address for a prescription refill.
Under the “Topics to catch up on” section, you will see updates such as your Lululemon return being processed or your end-of-year statement being available from Wealthfront. These different updates are grouped into categories like “Finances” and “Purchases.”
Google executives describe this as delivering on a promise for Gmail to proactively have your back, showing you what you need to do and when. They assure users that the traditional inbox will remain available, and this new view is simply an optional toggle to help cut through the noise of incoming mail. Google is rolling out the AI Inbox feature to trusted testers before making it more broadly available in the coming months.
With the new AI Overviews in Gmail search, users can now search their inbox using natural language questions to get a quick answer instead of relying on traditional keyword searches and opening multiple emails. For example, you can ask who gave you a quote for a bathroom renovation last year and get an AI Overview that pulls answers from your emails and highlights the key details. This new functionality is rolling out to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers. Google emphasizes that all of Gmail’s AI features are optional, that personal content is not used to train its foundational models, and that personal data is processed in a strictly isolated environment.
As for the new Proofread feature, Google says it is designed to help polish and refine your writing by analyzing your draft to improve clarity and structure. It offers one-click suggestions for word choice, conciseness, active voice, and splitting complex sentences. For instance, it might suggest changing “might inflict disturbance” to “might disturb,” or flag the incorrect use of “weather” instead of “whether.” Proofread is rolling out to subscribers of the paid Google AI Pro and Ultra tiers.
While these new features are launching for select users, Google announced that Gmail’s “Help Me Write,” AI Overviews for threaded emails, and “Suggested Replies” are now rolling out to all users. These features were previously only available to paying subscribers. Help Me Write can help compose an email from a single prompt, AI Overviews for threaded emails provide summaries of longer email threads, and Suggested Replies use conversation context to offer relevant responses that match your tone and style.