Google is giving everyone in the US a taste of its premium AI tools without asking for a credit card. Three features that previously required a paid Google AI Pro subscription are now available for free in personal Gmail accounts. If you’ve ever looked at a long email thread and wished someone would just tell you what it’s about, or stared at a blank compose window hoping the words would write themselves, this update is for you.
The newly unlocked tools include Help me write, which lets you type a quick prompt and watch Gmail generate a full email draft or rewrite what you’ve already written to sound more polished, formal, or concise. There’s also AI thread summaries that pop up at the top of lengthy conversations, giving you bullet points so you don’t have to scroll through dozens of messages just to figure out what’s happening.
Finally, personalized suggested replies now go beyond the generic “Sounds good!” options and actually try to match your tone and writing style for one-tap responses. Google previously rolled out smarter AI replies powered by Gemini, and this builds on that foundation.
What’s Still Behind the Paywall
These free features are rolling out now in the US for English-language personal Gmail accounts, with more countries and languages coming in the next few months. However, power users who want even more will still need to subscribe. Advanced tools like AI search answers inside Gmail, deeper proofreading, and the experimental AI Inbox view that surfaces bills and to-dos remain exclusive to Google AI Pro subscribers. Google also previously launched Gmail Q&A features on Android, letting users ask Gemini questions about their inbox.
In practice, this means you can handle everyday inbox clutter faster without paying a dime, while Google hooks power users on subscription perks. It’s a smart move that gets more people comfortable with AI-powered email before deciding whether to upgrade.
