A summary feature powered by Gemini, Google’s recently debuted generative AI model and digital assistant tool, is coming to the Gmail app for Android — and could make reading and understanding emails much faster and easier. The feature is expected to be rolled out to all users soon and they will be able to provide feedback by rating the quality of email summaries generated.
The feature is suspected to have been in the works for a while, as documented by Android Authorityand now it’s apparently close to launch.
One of Android Authority’s code sleuths managed to get the feature working on the Gmail app version 2024.04.21.626860299 after quite a bit of tinkering. It hasn’t been revealed what steps they’ve taken, so if you want to replicate this you’ll have to do some experimenting, but the fact that the summary feature can be active shows that Android Gmail users may not have to wait long.
There’s a screenshot seen in Android Authority’s report showing a chat window where the user asks Gemini to summarize an email they currently have open, and Gemini obliges. Apparently this feature will be available via the ‘Summary of this email’ button under the subject line of an email. I assume this triggers the prompt above, and this should produce a compact summary of the email. This can be especially useful when processing a large number of emails, or particularly long emails with lots of detail.
Once the summary is provided, users will see thumbs up and thumbs down below Gemini’s output, similar to OpenAI’s ChatGPT after it answers a user’s question. This gives Google a better understanding of how useful the feature is to users and how it can be improved. There will also be a button that allows you to copy the email summary to your clipboard, according to the screenshot.
When can you expect the new feature?
There is speculation that the feature could be rolled out during Google’s I/O 2024 event, its annual developer conference, scheduled for May 14, 2024. Google is also expected to show off the next version of its Pixel A series, the Pixel 8A could show it its development of augmented reality (AR) technology and new software and service developments, especially for its devices and ChromeOS (the operating system that powers the best Chromebooks).
Many Gmail users might find this new summary feature time-saving and streamline their emails, but as with any generative AI, there are concerns about the accuracy of the text generated. If Gemini omits or misinterprets important information, it can lead to mistakes or misunderstandings. I’m glad Google has a feedback system as this will show whether the feature is actually serving its purpose well. We’ll have to wait and see, and the proof will be in the pudding as to whether it results in improved productivity and is reasonably accurate when it is eventually released.