Gmail for iOS now uses machine learning to provide smart replies

Google on Wednesday launched an updated version of the mobile Gmail app for iOS and Android, bringing out a handy new Smart Reply feature based on the company’s machine learning technology. Like with canned responses in Apple’s own Messages app, Gmail analyzes the contents of your emails to provide up to three canned responses based on what it thinks the sender is asking in their original message.

Smart Replies may include simple “Yes” and “No” responses. If the sender is asking whether to meet on Wednesday or Friday, Gmail may provide a bit more complex replies such as “Let’s do Wednesday”, “Friday works for me” or “Either day works for me”.

Once you’ve selected one, you can send it immediately or edit your response starting with the Smart Reply text. By utilizing machine learning, the Smart Reply feature produces better responses the more you use it. “If you’re more of a ‘thanks!’ than a ‘thanks.’ person, we’ll suggest the response that’s, well, more you,” says Google.

To learn about the smarts behind Smart Reply, check out the Google Research Blog.

Smart Reply will roll out globally in English first, with Spanish following in the coming weeks. Additional languages for Smart Replies will be added soon, Google has promised.

According to the search monster, the machine learning-assisted Smart Reply feature already drives twelve percent of replies in its Inbox email app.

Aside from Smart Replies in the Gmail app, today’s keynote address at Google’s annual I/O conference for developers saw the release of the official Google Assistant app for iOS.

Gmail for iOS is available at no charge from App Store.