Google: Gmail's new AI spelling, grammar checks help you avoid email blunders

Google is rolling out new artificial-intelligence features in Gmail that should improve the quality of email messages rushed out under deadline pressures. 

The new AI spell-checking features will soon appear for business G Suite users, who will get a helping hand to write email with Gmail's spelling and grammar checks, as well as suggestions. 

SEE: How to implement AI and machine learning (ZDNet special report) | Download the report as a PDF (TechRepublic)

For some common spelling mistakes, Gmail will also offer as-you-type autocorrection.

And for common typos and other grammatical errors, Gmail will add a blue squiggly underline to highlight problem words that should be addressed before hitting the send button. A red line also appears under misspelled words. For errors that do get autocorrected, a dashed line will appear under the corrected text.

Google highlights two groups who could find the feature helpful: those on deadlines and people who speak English as a second language – the feature only supports English currently.   

"If you're working against deadlines to write a lot of emails daily, correct spelling and grammar probably isn't top of mind. These capabilities can also help you write and edit with more confidence if you're a non-native speaker," Google notes. 

The spelling and grammar assistant will be enabled by default, but users will have the option of turning it off by following instructions in a Google support document. 

Google will roll out the spelling and grammar assistant over two weeks starting August 20 for G Suite users on rapid-release domains. Those on scheduled release domains should start seeing it on September 12. 

The Gmail spelling tool is brought across from the AI-assisted spellcheck features introduced to Docs in G Suite earlier this year.

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