Gemini side panel phased out as Gmail rolls out in-line AI

Google has begun rolling out a major change to how artificial intelligence works in Gmail, starting in the US. With the launch of new “in-line AI experiences”, the company has confirmed that the Gemini side panel is being removed for AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers on the web.

Until now, users could open the Gemini side panel by clicking the sparkle icon next to their profile photo in the top-right corner of Gmail. The panel worked like a chatbot and allowed users to summarise long email threads, suggest replies, draft emails, search past messages, check files in Google Drive, view Calendar events and even create new ones.

Google says the change is part of an effort to make AI easier to use directly inside Gmail, without relying on a separate panel. As a result, some subscribers may no longer see the “Ask Gemini” option or be able to open the Gemini side panel in Gmail on the web.

Most of the features previously handled by the side panel are now built into emails themselves. Tools such as “Help Me Write” remain unchanged, while Proofread has been improved to offer stronger spelling, grammar and style checks. Suggested Replies have also been upgraded to better reflect the context of each email conversation, according to ABC News.

In addition, AI Overviews can now summarise long email threads, while similar AI summaries in Google Search aim to offer a more connected experience across services.

The Gemini side panel has already disappeared from some personal Gmail accounts using the new features, though it is still available on the Gmail app for Android users. Google Workspace users are not affected by the change.