Google is enhancing its artificial intelligence capabilities in Gmail to help users manage their email more efficiently. The new Gemini side panel will summarize email threads, draft new messages, find hard-to-locate messages, offer proactive instructions, and allow users to ask the AI questions.
However, these AI features will only be available to paid Gemini users. To access the AI, you must be a Google Workspace customer with a Gemini Business or Enterprise add-on, a Gemini Education or Education Premium add-on, or a Google One AI Premium subscription.
Analysts caution against relying too heavily on AI tools for work, as they are not always completely accurate. Users should carefully review the product even when using Gemini. For instance, if the AI drafts an email for you, it’s essential to verify its contents before sending as the AI responses can sometimes be unreliable.
Google is also introducing Gemini features for the sidebar in Drive, Docs, and Slides apps. While the specific capabilities of Gemini in these applications were not detailed, based on similar technologies on the web, it is expected that Gemini will be able to compose documents directly in the word processor and create full presentations on command.