Google’s rich ecosystem of apps and services is a big advantage for the Gemini AI experience. The chatbot can act as an assistant ready to provide information on the fly about all sorts of topics, including tasks that may be related to content stored in Google apps. Maybe it’s an email in Gmail and a document in Google Drive that are both important for a project, and Gemini can surface that information as long as it has access to both. That’s not the only AI assistance experience Google has envisioned.
In addition to connecting Gemini to Gmail and Drive, Google has developed a brand-new AI assistant called CC that will live inside Gmail to help you stay on top of your day. Unlike Gemini, which is available worldwide, CC is an experimental productivity assistant limited to the U.S. and Canada. Users can obtain access to CC after signing up via a Google Labs waitlist. It’s unclear how many users Google’s trial will accommodate initially, nor how long the wait time is, but Google said CC will be available to adult Google consumer account users, starting with Google AI Ultra subscribers at the most expensive premium tier of Gemini ($250/month).
Interestingly, CC seems to be an alternative to ChatGPT Pulse, a proactive AI agent inside ChatGPT that offers a morning brief experience in the chat app. Pulse can connect to apps like Gmail and Calendar as well, though that’s optional. Like CC, Pulse requires the expensive, $200/month ChatGPT Pro tier subscription.
What can CC do with Gmail?
After access is obtained, CC will begin extracting information from Gmail, Calendar, and Google Drive to deliver a personalized to-do list every day called “Your Day Ahead.” CC could be the answer to a problem most people may have: Staying on top of your inbox. Ironically, CC will deliver the daily briefs via emails, but they’ll be emails you’ll want to read. The video above shows an example of a CC brief, with the assistant pulling relevant information from Google apps and arranging tasks by priority. Powered by Gemini, CC will give you a concise look at your calendar and remind you about important deadlines and events, like paying a car loan or attending a party.
Other CC useful features may include providing updates for your deliveries and offering additional contextual information about events. One entry in the “Your Day Ahead” email in the video is labeled “Private Hose Viewing.” CC lists the location for the event, reminding the user this will be their second visit, and that they should “remember to check the backyard space.” Presumably, the tip comes from an email or note the user made after the first meeting.
The CC assistant can also be used to generate content, like preparing email drafts and remembering ideas and to-dos. To give CC instructions, you’ll have to email them in Gmail, rather than using a separate chat app. This isn’t the best possible interaction, as one of the goals of using a product like CC is to handle fewer emails. That said, CC is not a finished product: There’s no telling whether it’ll grow into an optional Gmail or Gemini feature, but Google will probably continue to refine the CC experience while it’s experimenting with it.
