Gmail gets AI-powered email summaries (for a fee)! The new “Summarize this email” feature, rolling out now on Android and iOS for paid users, helps you save time by automatically condensing long email threads into key points and highlights. This functionality was announced in a recent Google Workspace update and will be fully available in the coming weeks.
When you open an email thread with two or more responses on Android or iOS, a new button called “Summarize this email” powered by Gemini appears below the subject line. Tapping the button triggers a short analysis, and after a few seconds, a sheet slides up presenting key points and highlights in bullet form.
While you can’t currently add prompts or ask follow-up questions within this summary, this functionality might be introduced later with the launch of Gmail Q&A. The sheet is expandable, allowing you to swipe down for previous summaries. Additionally, you can copy the recap for further use and even rate its helpfulness.
While “Summarize this email” represents a new approach to managing lengthy threads, it’s not Gmail’s first stint into AI-powered assistance. Previously, Gmail offered a feature called “Help me write.” Additionally, future updates will introduce functionalities like Gmail Q&A and Contextual Smart Reply.
A similar suite of AI features, powered by Gemini 1.5 Pro, has already been available to some Google Workspace users since recently. These users can access the Gemini side panel within web Gmail, offering functionalities like summarizing email threads, suggesting email drafts and responses, and even facilitating information retrieval from emails and Google Drive files. Access to this side panel is granted through subscriptions like Gemini Business/Enterprise add-on, Gemini Education/Education Premium add-on, or Google One AI Premium.
