It was bound to happen. One of the oldest and most reliable stalwarts of digital communication, email, is being reinvented via artificial intelligence (AI). This adaptation presents unique challenges. Following the Changes to Search… Google changed the game in search when AI Overviews replaced the once-familiar practice of scanning through links with succinct verified paragraphs that answered questions quickly and directly. The decades-old practice of launching an email program that displayed a wide variety of content to sort through in an inbox now follows a similar path. Naturally, among the first email systems where changes are being implemented is Google’s own Gmail. …a New AI-Powered Method of Email Arrives As reported by Brian X. Chen in The New York Times, Google’s recent launch of new generative AI (GenAI) tools in Gmail intends to help users in everything from lightening loaded inboxes to writing emails. (Certain AI-related email tools are free, while others require a subscription.) Tasks and capabilities from this new model include: Recover Select Emails Quickly: Each user can search their over-crowded inbox and find a specific email simply by typing in a question. Auto-Generated To-Do Lists: Creation of an inbox that can create a ‘to-do’ list based on existing email content. (This innovation is currently in testing mode and is not available for wide release.) Email AI Assistant: Proofreading- and response-generating capabilities to further quicken the email writing process. If users take to the above changes, then email (referred to in The New York Times article as the ‘most steadfast web service’) will change forever. And while the points listed above seem beneficial, there is one underlying concern: privacy. The Privacy Dilemma Regardless of how a new email operation of the future will save time and increase efficiency, people are naturally worried about invasion of privacy. Gemini, Google’s official AI assistant, must have access and be able to “read” each user’s inbox. Upon interviewing an executive at Google, Mr. Chen was told that while Gemini can analyze the content of a user’s inbox, built-in protections have been placed to prevent Google’s human employees from gaining access. (There is a degree of doubt to this statement since human beings develop and fine-tune AI technology.) For those whose concerns over privacy outweigh the convenience afforded by AI-powered email… Uncheck the ‘Smart Features’ Box The current Gmail features created and powered by Gemini are active by default. Sensing that some users may prefer not risking their privacy over the convenience of this new system, Google is allowing them to opt out. They simply need to go to the ‘Account Settings’ and uncheck the ‘Smart Features’ box. Whatever changes may take place, EGC Group can help build your brand’s visibility through email. Visit our Email Engagement Engine page for more in-depth information. If you like what we have to offer, contact us. We’ll ensure that existing and potential customers zero in and “click” on your name when it shows up in their inbox.
