New Google tool could reduce time spent replying to emails

Google has developed a new tool that could alleviate the amount of time spent responding to emails by giving users the choice of predictive replies.

Smart Reply, a new feature on the Inbox by Gmail app, was released this month. It predicts three responses based on the emails you receive and primarily generates replies for questions. The three responses are usually simple and short, no more than a handful of words, and are arranged at the bottom of the app so you can choose to either select one or create a custom message.

Among its predictive capabilities, Smart Reply can also learn from your responses and is more likely to generate personalized auto-replies the more you use it. It will also stop providing the same auto replies you never use.

Graduate engineering student Josh Rodman said he would have to get accustomed to the technology before it would actually benefit him.

“I have an iPhone and the texting app on there has some semi-assumed responses so if you get a question it’ll be like ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ ‘I’m driving’ — answers like that,” Rodman said. “And I don’t necessarily use that just because I don’t think about it — I’ve got my idea formed in my head and so I want to type it out and not just hit a button. It feels more like a personal answer if I’m the one typing it out as opposed to just having a machine do it.”

The Google team created Smart Reply for the increasing amount of users who read and reply to emails on the small screens of their mobile devices, which can be less user-friendly than desktop monitors for responding to emails.

According to The New Yorker, Smart Reply is an artificial neural network – a mathematical model that finds patterns and probabilities in the way people communicate through email. The feature takes into account word frequency, context and sentence structure, among other writing mechanics.

Rodman said the technology might not be as useful for individuals, but businesses with employees who have to send out many emails every day could benefit from this new feature.

“In the cases where you need a simple yes or no answer it definitely expedites things and you don’t have to spend five minutes typing out a response as opposed to the 10 seconds or whatever to send that response,” Rodman said. “And so, in a business sense, it improves efficiency because you’re not having to deal with the personal interaction as much, and you’re able to put more of your energy towards accomplishing what needs to be accomplished and solving your problems.”

But when people give up some decision-making to machines and algorithms, some question how it would impact personal relationships. Rodman said he couldn’t see the technology having a very negative impact on relationships.

“Unless people see you sending that response to them or hitting that one-click answer – I mean, they’re not necessarily going to know, they’re just going to know they got an answer back on their question or topic,” Rodman said.

With the predictive advertisements and autocorrect, people are already experiencing similar technology, according to Rodman.

“I think that the predictive technology is definitely getting there and it will continue to grow, if for nothing else for consumerism purposes,” Rodman said.

Smart Reply is available in the App Store and Google Play.

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