Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Google Begins Rolling Out Gemini-Powered Gmail Update With Opt-In Controls

The update requires an explicit opt-in for AI access to email content, with some capabilities limited to Google AI Pro or Ultra subscribers.

Overview

  • New tools include AI Overview for conversational summaries, Help Me Write for drafting, and an experimental AI Inbox that prioritizes messages and suggests actions.
  • Basic features are reaching many users first in U.S. English, while advanced querying and proofreading remain paywalled under Google AI Pro or Ultra.
  • Users can enable or disable the features in settings, preserving a traditional Gmail experience if they choose not to participate.
  • Privacy and security remain central considerations because the AI must read message content to function, a trade-off experts say could also help manage threats.
  • Google is also introducing an option to change a primary Gmail address without losing existing messages and data, with more features promised in the coming months.