Google has introduced an update to Gmail that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance email search functionality. With this update, Gmail now considers factors like the recency of emails, how often users click on certain emails, and users’ frequent contacts to show the most relevant emails at the top of search results. So far, Gmail displayed search results in chronological order based on keywords.
Speaking of significance, after the update, when users search for emails, the most relevant ones will appear at the top of the search results. This will make it easier and faster to find important emails without having to scroll through a long list, saving users valuable time.
Meanwhile, in terms of availability, this latest Gmail update is being released worldwide for people who use personal Google accounts. The update is available for both – the Gmail website and the Gmail app for Android and iOS. Currently, it is only for personal accounts, but the company also plans to make it available to business users later.
Interestingly, along with the latest update, Gmail now offers a toggle button that allows users to switch between viewing ‘Most relevant’ and ‘Most Recent’ emails in their search results. This feature provides flexibility for users who still prefer to see their emails in chronological order.
The development comes at a time when amid the ongoing AI race, the Mountain View-headquartered company has been integrating AI across its ecosystem, including Search, Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides), and Android, to enhance user experience.
Last year at I/O 2024, the search giant announced several Gemini AI-powered features for Gmail, many of which have now been rolled out. For example, the ‘Summarize Email’ feature lets users tap to get AI-based email summaries. Similarly, the ‘Contextual Smart Reply’ provides more relevant responses based on conversation context and ‘Gmail Q&A’ allows users to ask Gemini to summarize emails, list action items, or find previous information.
Additionally, at the start of this month, Google introduced the Gemini AI-powered ‘Add to Calendar’ feature to enhance user productivity within Google Workspace. This feature automatically detects calendar-related content in users’ emails (like event dates and times) and allows to add them directly to their Google Calendar with a single click.
Earlier in October 2024, Google added a ‘Summary Cards‘ feature to Gmail, which provides quick, actionable previews of important emails. The feature mainly allows users to track packages, check-in for flights, set reminders, and mark bills as paid without opening emails. In fact, the company also announced a new ‘Happening Soon’ section for Gmail to provide time-sensitive cards at the top of user inboxes.
These developments become important considering Gmail has over 1.8 billion active users worldwide. The Gmail app has surpassed 10 billion downloads across Android and iOS platforms as of March 2025.
