- ChatGPT can now compose and send emails without leaving the chat window
- Currently, the feature only works with connected Gmail and Outlook accounts.
- You can’t send attachments, which limits its usefulness.
I asked ChatGPT to write to me and send me an email. It composed the message, connected it to my inbox, and prepared it to send without me opening Gmail. For a moment, it felt like the AI assistant we’d been promised for years. Then I tried attaching a file and came back to earth.
ChatGPT’s new ability to send emails directly from a chat, which quietly disappeared yesterday, is available to most paid ChatGPT users in the web version of ChatGPT right now. It only works if you have connected your Gmail or Outlook account to ChatGPT, so it won’t work in all email clients and there are other limitations as well.
For example, as I discovered, you still can’t send attachments, which is a pretty big problem if OpenAI wants people to take ChatGPT more seriously as an AI assistant.
The final limitation is that you can’t do this on Free or Go accounts, nor through the ChatGPT apps on desktop and mobile. Email sending is available only in the web version of ChatGPT for users with Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise plans.
The first test of an AI assistant
I must admit, it was very exciting the first time I tried to send an email from chat. I used it to send a story idea to my work email address and asked ChatGPT to provide me with some background information on the topic. I didn’t write the entire email; I simply trusted ChatGPT to create the content and include the link to the source I provided.
ChatGPT told me exactly what it was going to do and showed a dialog explaining the action I was about to take and asking me if I wanted to allow or deny it. I clicked Details to review the exact email I planned to send and, happy with what I saw, clicked Allow. Seconds later, the email arrived in my work inbox.
Of course, you couldn’t send an attachment, but what’s impressive is the fact that you can do all this from the chat. If you’re already working on ChatGPT, it means you can send an email without interrupting your flow.
One missing feature changes everything
If you haven’t connected your Gmail or Outlook account, open Settingschoose Applicationsso Add moreand search for Gmail or Outlook to connect it.
What makes this feature notable is that not all AI assistants can do this yet. When I asked Gemini to send an email for me, the Google chatbot responded that it couldn’t send messages directly or access my accounts to do so. Gemini can help compose emails, but ChatGPT’s ability to actually connect to your inbox and complete the task is an idea of where AI assistants are headed.
The new ability to send email may be limited at this time, but like most OpenAI releases, it will likely improve over time. Still, the lack of attachment support seems an important omission. Sending files is one of the most common reasons people use email, and until ChatGPT can handle that, and also read emails, it’s hard to replace a traditional email client.
Still, it’s a promising first step. I also hope to see support for more email providers in the future. However, starting with Gmail and Outlook covers a large percentage of users, so there’s a good chance you can try the feature yourself today.
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