AIGmail is getting a Gemini AI overhaulYou can ask the search bar questions about your messages.Will ShanklinContributing ReporterThu, January 8, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTCIn a move that should surprise nobody, Google is stuffing more Gemini AI into Gmail.A host of new features, some of which are already familiar to Workspace users, are rolling out today for Gmail users in the US.Some are free, while others require a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription.The first premium feature is AI Overviews, the same name as a similar feature in Google Search.
Gmail’s version lets you ask questions about your messages in the search bar, using natural language.Google uses the example of, "Who was the plumber that gave me a quote for the bathroom renovation last year?" It’s hard to imagine that saving much time over a basic search for "plumber quote" or “plumbing estimate,” but maybe it could help in some situations.There's also a free portion of AI Overviews that summarizes mail threads for easy catch-ups.However, the ability to ask your inbox questions requires a subscription.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMeanwhile, Proofread is a subscription-only feature that's essentially Grammarly for Gmail.
As you'd guess, it suggests improvements in grammar, word choice, conciseness, voice and sentence structure.Finally, there's the AI Inbox, a feature that "filters out the clutter so you can focus on what's most important." Google says it's like a personal briefing that flags to-dos and catches you up on what it thinks is most important.(It identifies VIPs based on frequent contacts, your contact list, and inferred relationships.) The company claims, without adding further detail, that this all "happens securely with the privacy protections you expect from Google." AI Inbox is another subscription-only feature.Now onto the free stuff.Help Me Write is a tool for all Gmail users that generates email copy from a prompt.
This kind of thing should be well-familiar by now, as Big Tech increasingly encourages users to avoid drafting anything from scratch.And Suggested Replies can draft replies for you that mimic your tone and style.(Google describes it as a next-gen version of Smart Replies.) Help Me Write and Suggested Replies are rolling out to everyone (no subscription required) today.The new Gemini-powered features begin rolling out to Gmail today.
Although they're starting with English speakers in the US, Google says they'll arrive in more languages and regions "in the coming months."
