Google is Changing How AI Works in Gmail
Google is rolling out a significant update to Gmail that changes how its artificial intelligence features work. The traditional Gemini side panel that appeared on the web for some users is being replaced with new “in-line AI experiences.” This update is already visible for AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the United States. As a result, some users no longer see or can access the Gemini side panel in Gmail on the web.
The company says this shift is meant to make AI tools easier and more natural to use directly within the email interface rather than through a separate pop-out panel. The side panel had been a central place where Gmail users could ask Gemini questions, summarize emails, draft messages, and find information from email threads and linked files.
What the Old Side Panel Did
Before this change, Gmail’s Gemini side panel acted like a small assistant window inside the app. Users could click a small spark icon next to their profile photo in the upper right corner to open it. Once open, Gemini helped with tasks such as:
- Summarizing long email threads
- Suggesting replies
- Drafting new emails
- Finding information from previous messages
- Retrieving related files from Google Drive
- Showing upcoming calendar events
- Creating calendar events from email details
This panel worked similarly to other AI assistants embedded in productivity tools. It helped reduce the need to manually search through long conversations or switch tabs to find relevant information.
What is Replacing the Side Panel
Google’s new “in-line AI experiences” have taken the majority of the panel’s operations and incorporated them right into the familiar Gmail interface. Rather than having the AI functions open in a separate window or panel, they are now presented as dynamic components within your email threads. To illustrate, inline suggestions which will guide you on how to respond or compose a message in a way that is appropriate to the conversation will be displayed next to you.
Google points out that the “Help Me Write” feature has not changed at all. The “Proofread” service that examines spelling, grammar, and writing style has been fortified. Suggested Replies now possess a higher degree of context-awareness, which means they consider the dialog thread to provide more pertinent recommendations.
Besides, AI tool named AI Overviews which is another tool in the AI arsenal is also going broader. It gives a brief which summarizes long threads for both Gmail and Google Search thus making it a lot easier to understand the conversation or topic without going through every single message.
Where the Side Panel Still Exists
Currently, the Gemini side panel hasn’t been removed from the Android version of Gmail’s mobile app; it is still there. Moreover, if you are using one of the Google Workspace plans for business or educational purposes, the side panel experience is still the same for you. The update primarily concerns the personal Gmail users in the U.S. having the higher-tier AI plan.
Google has not indicated any timeline for the global rollout of the new system nor its availability to other countries, but the shift does indicate that the AI tools will be integrated into daily activities rather than being dealt with through separate AI windows.
