Google has added a new AI feature to Gmail called Gmail Live. It was announced at the Google I/O 2026 developer event. This new tool uses AI to help people search their emails in a much easier way.
Google Introduces Gmail Live AI for Smarter Email Search
Now users will not only use normal search words. They can also ask questions in simple language. The AI will then find the right emails from the inbox.
How Gmail Live Works
Before this update, people had to type keywords or email addresses to find messages. Sometimes this was hard because many emails can contain similar words. With Gmail Live AI, users can ask direct questions. For example, they can ask about a flight time, a dentist appointment, or a hotel booking. The AI will search and show the correct details from emails. Google says this will help people quickly find important information hidden in their inbox.
Google says Gmail Live is not just a normal search tool. It can understand natural questions, just like talking to a person. Devanshi Bhandari, product lead for Gmail, explained that users can ask follow-up questions too. The AI can also change topics during the same conversation. For example, users can ask about a school trip first and then ask about travel details in the same chat. The AI will still understand the context and respond correctly.
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Smart Features in Gmail Live
In a live demo, Google showed how Gmail Live can find small but important details from emails. It can detect things like hotel room numbers, travel plans, and event information. It can also understand the difference between similar words. For example, it can separate “field trip” from “trip” and give correct answers.
Google also said similar voice-based AI tools will come to other apps like Google Keep and to-do lists in the future. Google confirmed that Gmail Live will not replace the regular search bar. It will just be an extra option for users. This is important because some users may still prefer the old search method. Google has learned from past feedback, especially after changes in Google Photos faced criticism for forcing AI features. Gmail is also getting other new features. These include Gmail email change feature, ready-made email drafts, faster file access, and task management tools.
- Ready-to-send email drafts
- Fast file access
- Task management tools to mark work as done
- A new AI Inbox view that shows important tasks in one place
The AI Inbox feature was launched earlier this year. Now it will also be available for more users, not just premium subscribers. Google said Gmail Live will launch later this summer. At first, it will only be available for Google AI Ultra subscribers. After that, more users may get access over time. Google is slowly adding more AI tools into Gmail to make email handling easier. With Gmail Live, users can simply ask questions instead of searching manually. This could help people save time and find important information faster inside their inbox. News source eTimes Pakistan.
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