Google Bets On AI To Fix Email Overload With Gemini-Enhanced Gmail- What's New?

By Ananya Gairola | January 09, 2026, 3:58 AM

On Thursday, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai said Google is ushering Gmail into a new "Gemini era," using artificial intelligence to help users manage overflowing inboxes more efficiently.

Gmail Gets Its Biggest AI Upgrade Since Launch

Google announced that Gemini, its flagship AI model, is being deeply integrated into Gmail, marking the email service's most significant transformation since its launch on April Fool's Day in 2004.

Pichai said the update reflects how email has evolved as users now receive hundreds of messages each week.

"We launched Gmail on April Fool's Day in 2004," Pichai wrote on X. "20+ years later, we're bringing Gmail into the Gemini era."

We launched Gmail on April Fool's Day in 2004. 20+ years later, we're bringing Gmail into the Gemini era.

AI Overviews, Suggested personalized replies, Proof read, AI Inbox with new streamlined views and suggested topics to catch-up on and loads more, read the full details…
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) January 8, 2026

AI Overviews Summarize Long Email Threads

A key feature rolling out globally at no cost is AI Overviews, which summarizes lengthy email conversations. Google said the tool is designed to help users quickly understand discussions without reading every message in a thread, a common pain point in corporate email chains.

Similar to AI summaries in Google Search, users can also ask questions about their inbox, helping them find relevant information faster.

AI Inbox Acts As A Personalized Briefing

Google is also introducing AI Inbox, a new section that appears above the traditional inbox view. The feature highlights priority emails, suggested to-dos and topics users should catch up on.

"AI Inbox is like having a personalized briefing," Google said in a blog post, adding that it identifies important messages by analyzing signals such as frequent contacts and inferred relationships.

AI Inbox will roll out to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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