Google’s new ‘Smart Reply’ feature will respond to e-mails for you

Staying on top of your e-mails can be a daunting task, so Google decided to employ some artificial intelligence to help Gmail users out.

Google has already implemented features like  assisting you with the your next step, organizing trips, and suggesting reminders. Now it wants to help save time with replies as well in a way where your inbox can “guess” which of your e-mails can be answered with just a short reply and then set up a few response options for you to choose from.

The feature, called “Smart Reply” will hit Google Inbox next week.

Smart Reply will suggest up to three responses based on the e-mails you received. For any email that seems to only require a quick response, it can take care of the thinking and save precious time spent typing. For e-mails that require a bit more thought, it also offers a jump start so you can respond right away.

How it works

Smart Reply uses machine learning to recognize e-mails that need responses and then generates natural language responses.

The responses you choose or neglect will help improve future suggestions.

“For example, when Smart Reply was tested at Google, a common suggestion in the workplace was “I love you.” Thanks to Googler feedback, Smart Reply is now SFW :),” according to the Google Blog.

For more information about how it works, including how Google researchers got machine learning to work on a data set that they never saw, visit the Google Research Blog.

To download the feature next week, visit the Google Play and the App Store.