Google has launched a new AI Inbox for Gmail, aiming to help users focus on the most important messages within their overflowing inboxes.
The feature brings task summaries, reminders, and AI-assisted overviews to make email management faster and smarter.
The Gmail AI Inbox is divided into two main sections: “Suggested to-dos” and “Topics to catch up on.” The first shows emails that need immediate action, such as a reminder about an upcoming bill or confirming a prescription shipment.
The second group updates like delivery notifications and financial statements under categories like “Purchases” and “Finances,” making it easier to catch up at a glance.
“This is us delivering on Gmail proactively having your back, showing you what you need to do and when you need to do it,” said Blake Barnes, VP, Product at Google, in a briefing with reporters.
“Don’t worry, the traditional inbox will remain available. This is simply a new view you can toggle in and out of as you please to cut through the noise of your incoming mail.”
Google is initially releasing AI Inbox to trusted testers, with a wider rollout expected in the coming months.
Gmail is also adding AI Overviews to search. Users can now ask natural language questions like “Who was the plumber that gave me a quote for the bathroom renovation last year?” and receive answers summarised from emails.
“We scour every email in your inbox, and we give you the answer to your questions right at the top,” Barnes explained. “So just like AI Overviews in Google Search, you can ask natural language questions to get an AI-powered response. However, in Gmail, the model relies solely on your email, your personal memory brain, to generate the response.”
This feature is available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.
Gmail is also launching Proofread, a tool that refines writing by providing one-click suggestions for clarity, conciseness, and correct word use. For example, it may suggest changing “might inflict disturbance” to “might disturb” or flag a misuse of “weather” versus “whether.”
Proofread is designed to reduce reliance on third-party tools like Grammarly and is rolling out to Pro and Ultra subscribers.
Other previously paid features are now accessible to all users. Help Me Write can draft emails from a single prompt, Suggested Replies offer context-based one-click responses, and AI Overviews summarise long email threads. Together, these tools aim to make composing, reading, and responding faster and more efficient.
Google emphasises that all AI features are optional, personal data is processed in isolated environments, and content isn’t used to train foundational models. The rollout begins in the U.S. for English-language users, with plans to expand to more regions and languages in the coming months.
With over 3 billion monthly users, Gmail is the world’s most widely used email service. Google’s AI upgrades, powered by Gemini 3, show how email has evolved since 2004, turning the inbox into a proactive assistant capable of helping users cut through information overload and get things done faster.
