Gmail has been updated with a new feature powered by artificial intelligence (AI) as part of the Google Workspace May feature drop. The Mountain View-based tech giant has announced that it is adding summary cards in emails that are either very long, or are part of a lengthy email thread. These summary cards will automatically appear at the top of the email to provide users with context about the message, and are generated using Gemini AI. The latest update also adds new AI features to Google Chat, Google Docs, and Google Meet.

Gmail Now Shows AI Summaries Automatically

Google Workspace users who have an active subscription to the service will now see email summaries on Gmail in a different way, according to the company. Earlier, users had to open an email and tap on the Gemini icon to see an AI-generated summary of the particular email or the thread.

Summary cards in Gmail
Photo Credit: Google

With the latest update, Gemini will intelligently identify emails that require a summary, and automatically show it in a summary card placed on the top of the email. Whenever people reply to the thread, the summary will also be refreshed automatically. The summary card can also be collapsed in case users feel it is not useful.

Google Chat is also getting a couple of new features. Gemini will now summarise messages in the home view of Chat, so users can understand which messages require their immediate attention. This feature is available in English, Spanish, and six other languages. 

Gemini can also analyse and summarise the contents of a shared Workspace file. So, if a colleague shares a Doc or Slide, the user will be able to see a summary in the side panel before opening the document.

Google Docs is also getting a new AI feature dubbed the summary building block. When Gemini generates a summary of a document, users can insert it at the top, making it easier for viewers to understand the context before they dive in. Every time the document is edited, the summary can be refreshed to show the latest version.

The company has also highlighted new dynamic layouts on Google Meet that allow users to choose between “room” and “individual” tiles. The room tile is ideal for when a single device is being used to show multiple participants, while the individual tile focuses on a single participant’s face.