Google’s AI now lets you talk to your Gmail inbox

Source: TechCrunch

Google isn’t finished infusing AI into your inbox. On Tuesday, the tech giant announced an expansion of its “AI Inbox” functionality for Gmail, adding conversational AI features that let you ask Gmail about things in your inbox instead of typing search terms.

Gmail Live

The Gemini‑powered feature, called Gmail Live, helps you quickly find information buried in your inbox.

Image Credits: Google

You can ask about upcoming flights, dentist appointments, Airbnb door codes, or details about an event at your child’s school. Instead of typing keywords or email addresses, you speak or type natural‑language questions.

“Gmail Live can answer naturally phrased questions, respond to follow‑up questions, and pivot if you need to interrupt it,” said Devanshi Bhandari, product lead for Gmail, during a briefing ahead of Google I/O.

How it works

• Users can ask questions aloud in natural language, similar to using a stand‑alone AI chatbot like Gemini or ChatGPT.
• The AI understands nuances (e.g., “field trip” vs. “trip”) and can jump between topics.
• It can pull granular details from emails—such as a hotel room number—or infer which people you’re asking about even when they aren’t explicitly named.

Bhandari demonstrated Gmail Live by asking about a child’s show‑and‑tell project, a class trip, and hotel/flight information for a trip to Detroit. The tool responded accurately and could handle follow‑up queries.

Additional AI‑Powered Features

• Ready‑to‑send drafts – AI suggests complete email drafts you can send with a click.
• Instant file access – Quickly locate attachments referenced in conversations.
• To‑do management – Mark individual tasks as done directly from the inbox.

Similar voice technology is also coming to Google Keep’s to‑do list.

Rollout Plans

• The voice‑powered Gmail Live feature will roll out later this summer, initially limited to Google AI Ultra subscribers.
• The broader AI Inbox experience—which provides an overview of tasks and items hidden in your inbox—will expand beyond AI Ultra to include Google AI Pro and Google AI Plus subscribers.

Image Credits: Google

Context

Google previously faced backlash after upgrading Google Photos with AI‑powered search. The feature was later rolled back, making AI optional after numerous complaints. Gmail Live shows Google’s effort to provide practical, user‑focused AI enhancements while keeping traditional search available.