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Much like how Google Search now gives you an AI element at the top of its results, Gmail will now give you an automatic summary of some of your emails.
Google first introduced email summaries in June 2024, and they're now turned on by default. The AI summary appears in a box at the top of an email under the subject line, with up to three bullet points breaking down the whole email chain. The idea is that Gemini will give you key takeaways from longer email chains so you can scan for the most important information.
Google says it won’t appear on all emails, and the company's messaging seems to suggest the feature will be used for longer conversations or complicated topics. The summary will also be updated as new information is added, meaning new replies to the chain may change the summary at the top.
If you find Gemini hasn't summarized an email chain when you wanted it to, you can manually activate the feature by clicking the Summarize this email button at the top of the message.
The feature is rolling out now on the Android and iOS versions of Gmail. Automatic summaries are also limited to English-language Workspace accounts or those with a Google One AI Premium subscription. The company didn't say when it will come to other apps or the desktop.
If you don’t want summaries appearing in your emails, you can turn them off, but you’ll also have to turn off all of what the company calls its “Smart Features.” To do this on desktop, head to Settings at the top right of Gmail, scroll to General, and find the section called Smart features. Look for Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet, and toggle it off.
To do this on mobile, head to the three-line menu in the top left of your Gmail app, followed by Settings > General. On Android, find the option called Smart features and toggle it off. On iPhone, you’ll find it under Data privacy > Smart features.