> At a Glance
> – Gmail’s new AI Inbox tab auto-sorts priority to-dos and purchase updates
> – Natural-language AI Overviews now answer inbox questions for paid users
> – Formerly paid tools-Help Me Write, thread summaries, Suggested Replies-go free
> – Why it matters: Google wants Gmail to surface what you need before you search
Google is turning Gmail into a personal assistant that spots unpaid bills, tracked packages, and unfinished tasks without you opening a single message.
A Smarter Inbox View
The experimental AI Inbox splits your mail into two panels:
- Suggested to-dos – flags emails needing action (e.g., bill due tomorrow or call dermatologist to confirm shipping address)
- Topics to catch up on – groups status updates under tiles like Finances and Purchases (e.g., Lululemon return processed, Wealthfront statement ready)
> “This is us delivering on Gmail proactively having your back,” said Blake Barnes, VP Product at Google.
Traditional inbox remains one click away; the AI view is rolling out to trusted testers before wider release.
Ask Your Inbox, Get Instant Answers
Paid Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers can now type plain-English questions into the search bar:
- Who was the plumber that gave me a bathroom quote last year?
- When is my car-insurance renewal?
An AI Overview crawls every message and returns a concise answer at the top of results.
Built-In Proofreader Joins the Party
Also locked to paid tiers for now:
- Proofread analyzes drafts for clarity, active voice, and word misuse (might inflict disturbance → might disturb)
- Works like Grammarly but keeps data inside Gmail
Free Features for Everyone
Google is dropping the paywall on:
- Help Me Write – compose from a prompt
- AI Overviews for threaded emails – one-sentence summaries of long chains
- Suggested Replies – context-aware quick responses that match your tone
| Feature | Free Users | Paid Users |
|---|---|---|
| AI Inbox | Coming months | Testers now |
| AI Overviews in search | ❌ | ✅ Pro/Ultra |
| Proofread | ❌ | ✅ Pro/Ultra |
| Help Me Write | ✅ | ✅ |
| Thread summaries | ✅ | ✅ |
| Suggested Replies | ✅ | ✅ |
Google stresses all AI features are opt-in, personal content isn’t used to train its models, and processing happens in an isolated environment.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail’s AI Inbox wants to surface action items before you drown in unread mail
- Natural-language search answers arrive first for paid subscribers
- Proofread aims to keep users from pasting drafts into third-party tools
- Formerly premium writing aids are now free, expanding Gmail’s AI reach to 1.8 billion accounts
