Gmail AI Summaries—What Is It and How Do You Turn It Off?

Google has spent the last two years building up its AI capabilities and infusing it into every possible platform and service, and the Gmail AI summaries are no different. While the Gmail summary cards have been around for a while, with the latest update, Google revealed that its AI-generated summaries will now automatically show up for some users on Android and iOS. Instead of waiting for you to tap and ask the AI to read your private emails for you, you can have automatic email summaries generated to avoid the embarrassment of asking.

We’re sure there are many who do find these Gmail auto email summaries useful for long email chains that have a lot of cumbersome conversation to read through, but we’re not the biggest fans of Google Workspace updates. If you’re among those who would prefer to turn the Gmail AI summaries off, then it is currently possible to do so, although it’s unclear for how long the company will allow users the choice.

Gmail AI Summaries—Want to Offload the Task of Engaging with Your Emails to AI?

Much like Instagram offers to summarize your chat conversations so you don’t have to actually read what your friends and families have to say, Google’s AI summaries offer users a quick bullet-point recap of an email to help them understand what was said in an email. Google showed off the different ways it was ramping up the AI invasion during its Google I/O 2025 event held on May 20-21, and this is only a small part of its advancements.

Gemini’s integration into Gmail isn’t just evident in the email summaries—the AI can also help you write an email if you want to skip building that particular skill or are in a rush to get a response out. These AI tools simplify life as we know it and manage to help with tasks that take forever to get through. There is a concern that infantilizing users and making them overly reliant on tools will leave them helpless in the long run. These AI functions are free now but there will be a day when they will slowly slip behind a paywall, and customers will have no choice but to pay because they don’t know another way to get things done.

How Will Automatic Email Summaries Work On Gmail?

The Gmail summary cards will appear automatically for some users, but they won’t show up for all emails—just the longer ones where Google’s systems think you could use some help. These automatic summaries will primarily show up on smartphones for both iOS and Android users, and considering how difficult it can be to navigate a long email chain on these platforms, the AI summaries will be immediately beneficial.

“Gemini will synthesize all the key points from the email thread and any replies thereafter will also be a part of the synopsis, keeping all summaries up to date,” Google said in its post. The automatic email summaries have already been rolled out and users should start seeing them with their emails in the next 15 days.

If the auto email summaries don’t show up for a particular email but you want it to be condensed into a more consumable form, you can also choose to find the “Summarize” button and summon a summary yourself.

The Gmail AI Summaries Can Be Turned Off

Despite users having already protested the automatic AI summaries on Google searches, the company remains convinced that its customers cannot live without the perks of AI, and hey, what better way to convince users other than desensitizing them to its presence as much as possible?

If you’re among those who don’t want Gmail to summarize threads, you can disable it, but beware that this means losing out on other Gemini features as well. The Google Workspace updates bring AI as a package deal. To disable the auto email summaries and other Gemini features, you can try the following steps:

• Click on the gear settings icon on the top right corner of the Gmail interface
• Then click on the “See All Settings” option and you will be redirected to the “General” settings tab
• Scroll down to the Google Workspace smart features and click on “Manage Workspace smart feature settings”
• Disable the “Smart features in Google Workspace” using the toggle and click on “Save”

You can find the same Smart feature settings on your Android device as well. On iOS, you’ll have to go through the Data Privacy setting to find the Smart features. Following these steps will disable the large majority of Google Smart features so you’ll have to consider whether you’re willing to function without these features, but you can always turn them back on if you want.

Are You a Fan of Google’s Workspace Updates?

The Gmail AI summaries are only one part of the large-scale shift towards artificial intelligence. The company is making a very dedicated attempt to lead in the category of AI and it isn’t allowed in championing the tool as the future of technology. Many users are big fans of the shift towards convenience and the simplification of everyday tasks while on the other hand, many are extremely resistant to this callous use of AI and its impact on the environment.

Regardless of the resistance however, there is no denying that we are headed towards an AI-powered future and most will have to get used to the idea that they will have to use AI in some capacity, especially within the workplace.

Have thoughts to share on Gmail’s AI summaries or other Gemini tools? Let us know what you think. Subscribe to Technowize for more updates on all things tech and gaming.