Gmail will now use AI to spot terrible typos and grammar errors in emails

The new feature could save you a ton of embarrassment 
Kevin Grieve / Unsplash
Amelia Heathman22 August 2019

You can say goodbye to cringe-inducing spelling mistakes in professional emails because artificial intelligence is coming to the rescue.

A new update to Gmail will use AI to make smarter spell check suggestions whilst also detecting potential grammar issues. When you make a grammar mistake, a squiggly blue line will appear under the phrase, similar to the way it does in Microsoft Word. By clicking on it, Google will offer up a suggestion which you can choose to accept.

Not only that, but the AI will even autocorrect as you type for improved accuracy. Ever used the Gmail autocomplete function? It’s like that, except for typos, so you barely even know they happen.

It sounds a lot more seamless than the Outlook way of doing things, which asks you to approve all grammar changes before you send off an email.

In a blog post about the new feature, Google says: “If you're working against deadlines to write a lot of emails daily, correct spelling and grammar probably isn’t top of your mind. These capabilities can also help you write and edit with more confidence if you’re a non-native speaker. With our AI-first approach, you can communicate smarter and faster, without sweating the small stuff.”

The catch is that this feature will only be available for G-Suite customers at first, so if you’re a casual user of Gmail then it might be a while until you get to access the AI help. Until then you can always use Grammarly, the online grammar and spell-checking platform. You can add it as a Google Chrome extension and it is extremely helpful for spotting any errors in your copy.

Alternatively, there’s an app version which integrates with your Android or iPhone keyboard to improve texts and messages. A recent update will suggest even synonyms – helpful for when “sorry” doesn’t cut it in a message or when you want to feel extremely smart in a Twitter smackdown.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in