Staying on top of email is about to get a little easier on the Gmail Inbox app.
Google on Tuesday announced a new feature called Smart Reply, which uses machine learning technology to determine which emails can be answered with a short reply, then prepares a few possible responses for you to consider. In other words, you can now reply to email with just two taps, no typing required.
Smart Reply suggests up to three responses based on emails you get. If you receive an email asking if you have a certain document, for instance, it might suggest “I don’t, sorry;” “I will have to look for it;” and “I’ll send it to you.” Of, if you get a dinner invite, it might suggest the possible responses: “Count us in!;” “We’ll be there!;” and “Sorry, we won’t be able to make it.”
From there, you just tap the reply that you like, change it up or add more text if you need to, and tap send.
“For those emails that only need a quick response, it can take care of the thinking and save precious time spent typing,” Google Software Engineer Bálint Miklós wrote in a blog post. “And for those emails that require a bit more thought, it gives you a jump start so you can respond right away.”
Miklós added that the feature will get better over time, based on the responses you choose (and don’t choose). Smart Reply will be rolling out later this week to Inbox by Gmail for iOS and Android in English.
Google’s Inbox by Gmail app, which launched on an invitation-only basis in October 2014 and opened up to everyone in May, aims to bring more organization to your inbox. It bundles similar types of mail together and highlights important information like flight itineraries, event information, and photos and documents from friends and family.