Google I/O 2024 is showcasing the significant advancements Google’s products have undergone, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI). The mobile versions of Gmail will receive a substantial upgrade, powered by Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro LLM. Users can now anticipate enhanced search results for more complex queries, the incorporation of video clips within Google Lens, and a significantly improved inbox experience.
One of the most notable additions to Gmail is the ability to summarize long email threads, effectively decluttering the inbox. This feature is presented in an overlay card atop the Gmail app, and users can interact with a chatbot interface integrated into the overlay to ask follow-up questions or search for contextual information beyond the specific email thread.
Gmail will also benefit from more detailed and contextualized responses, expanding upon the basic smart replies available currently. Users will have access to a broader range of response options, allowing them to choose the most appropriate one by tapping and holding for a preview or directly importing it into the primary typing area.
The enhanced Gmail experience will begin rolling out to Google Workspace Labs users this month, with the Q&A and Smart Reply features becoming available in July 2024. A broader release is anticipated in the subsequent months. While the expectation is that these features will be accessible to standard Gmail users without charge, Google has yet to confirm this.
Complementing these developments, similar improvements and integrations with additional Google Workspace applications, such as Tasks and Calendar, are in the pipeline for Gmail’s web client. These advancements, while groundbreaking, raise concerns about privacy. The new, enhanced Gmail operates on Gemini 1.5 Pro within Google’s sophisticated cloud infrastructure. Google has not explicitly clarified whether existing Gmail conversations are utilized to train the AI model, but there is a substantial likelihood that they are. Unfortunately, users have no control over this aspect.