Google $GOOGL ( ▲ 1.08% ) is making one of the biggest changes yet to Gmail, unveiling an optional AI-powered inbox that could fundamentally change how people manage email.
The new experience prioritizes important messages, summarizes long threads, and lets users ask questions about their inbox using Gemini directly inside Gmail. The goal is to turn email into something closer to a dynamic task manager rather than a passive message feed.
How the AI inbox works
By pulling context from emails and calendars, Gmail will suggest next steps, draft replies, and surface what it believes matters most at any given moment. Instead of scrolling and searching, users can interact with their inbox the way they would with an AI assistant.
Google is betting that deeper AI integration makes Gmail more indispensable, especially as inbox overload continues to be a daily pain point for most users.
Gemini momentum vs ChatGPT
The rollout comes as Google’s AI tools show signs of gaining traction. Traffic to Gemini’s website rose 28% over the past month, according to Similarweb, while ChatGPT traffic declined nearly 6%. ChatGPT still leads by a wide margin overall, but the gap appears to be narrowing.
Rivals like Apple $AAPL ( ▼ 0.5% ) have promised similar AI-driven productivity upgrades in the past without fully delivering, which raises the stakes for Google to execute well.
What comes next
Access to the AI inbox will initially be limited to trusted testers in the US, with a broader consumer rollout planned in the coming months. If the features work as advertised, this could mark a meaningful shift in how the world’s largest email platform is used day to day.