Hot Takes · June 15th, 2025
Google used I/O 2025 to unveil Gemini-powered Smart Reply 2.0: suggested responses that pull context not just from the active thread, but from "your broader Gmail history and relevant files in Drive." In the demo, Gemini cheerfully referenced an old PDF itinerary to propose vacation dates. Slick - until you realize the model must first read that PDF (and every other message it deems "relevant") before it can help.
The shift from old Smart Reply to the new version represents a significant expansion in what Google's AI can access:
Feature | Old Smart Reply | New Smart Reply |
---|---|---|
Data Access | Looks only at current thread | Indexes your whole inbox + Drive for tone, dates, attachments |
Availability | Free for all users | Alpha in Google Labs July → Q3 rollout; paywalled under Workspace/One AI plans at launch |
Style Matching | Limited style matching | Claims to mirror your voice-formal with a manager, casual with friends |
Google frames this as productivity ("find the right file without leaving compose"). Critics frame it as another "trust us with more data" request.
The expansion of Smart Reply's capabilities raises several significant privacy concerns:
Yes, you can disable it: Settings > Smart features > toggle off. But Google has history here; in 2020 it introduced a similar "Smart Features" switch only after regulatory nudges. Expect the new control to live just as deep-and to reset whenever Google decides the UX needs "simplifying."
Ask yourself: Does this save more time than it costs in exposure? For many, whisper-level context from Drive isn't worth the trade. Typing "Thanks, sounds good" manually is still free and private.
Email has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Learn about how it all started in our article about Ray Tomlinson, the accidental "QWERTYUIOP" & how email was born.
Smarter Inbox is brilliant tech with a predictable catch: more eyes (this time algorithmic) on your personal mail. Opt-in if the convenience outweighs the creep factor - but read those settings like your job depends on it, because one day it might.
At [@fuck.it], we believe email should be a private communication channel, not a data mining opportunity. That's why we never scan your messages for AI training, advertising, or "smart" features. Your emails belong to you, not to algorithms.