“The short replies sent back by the “Smart Reply” feature in response to users” emails can be used either for replying quickly to a message or for initiating a longer message.
This technology uses similar AI technology, which recently rolled out in the Mountain View, California-based company’s main Google search engine, via a system named RankBrain. Since the launch of Inbox, Google has added a handful of features, including snoozing on an email until the best possible time.
In one example, the question “Do you have any documentation on how to use the new software” offers three replies: “I don’t, sorry”, “I will have to look for it”, and “I’ll send it to you”. You’ll then just be able to click and that human interaction will be over without very much thought.
Above: The new Smart Reply feature in Google’s Inbox by Gmail.
Inbox by Gmail, the free email client for the iPhone/iPod touch and iPad, is about to get a whole lot smarter.
Anything to speed up the process of answering emails sounds great, however, as the Smart Reply technology is only beginning, just make sure to not choose the wrong suggested response and hit send in haste. “These systems generalise better, and handle completely new inputs more gracefully than brittle, rule-based systems ever could”.
Google expects its new “smart reply” option to be particularly popular when people are checking emails on smartphones equipped with smaller, touch-screen keyboards. The Smart Reply feature will come up with an update for iOS and Android versions of Inbox later in the week. And if you’re anxious that your Google machine will say something weird AF – don’t worry, they’ve been testing the feature in house, so they already prevented Google from suggesting “I love you” as a response to your boss.
