tech
January 9, 2026
Google announces AI Overviews in Gmail search, experimental AI-organized inbox
Last year’s premium Gmail AI features are also rolling out to free users.
TL;DR
- Gmail is launching new AI features powered by Gemini, building on its initial AI Overviews for email chain summarization.
- AI Overviews are expanding to Gmail search, allowing natural language queries to generate AI-powered answers with email citations.
- A new AI Proofreading tool will offer nuanced writing suggestions for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, going beyond standard spellcheck.
- Google is previewing an optional AI Inbox that categorizes unread emails into 'Priorities' and 'Catch me up' sections based on importance.
- Features previously exclusive to paid subscribers, such as email summaries and 'Help me write', are now rolling out to all Gmail users.
- New features like AI Proofreading and Search AI Overviews will initially require a premium AI plan but are expected to expand to all users.
- Users can disable Gemini's AI features by turning off 'Smart Features', which also affects other integrated functionalities like package tracking and calendar integration.