OpenAI is testing a new feature that would allow ChatGPT to interact directly with Gmail and Google Calendar. The update, spotted by @btibor91 on X, could enable users to pull in emails, summarise content, generate responses, and schedule events, all without leaving the chatbot.
At present, Gmail integration exists only through OpenAI’s Deep Research tool, which limits usage to background sourcing within longer reports. The latest test suggests a more hands-on approach is coming, one that turns email into an active part of the chat flow. If fully launched, this would bring ChatGPT closer to acting as a digital assistant that manages both information and personal workflow in real time.
But the shift raises questions about how personal data might be handled. Access to email bodies and calendar entries could, if left unchecked, open a path for sensitive information to feed back into the system. While OpenAI says user privacy is a priority, its track record has not always supported that. Earlier this month, it was revealed that conversations deleted by users inside ChatGPT had still been stored, undermining confidence in how memory and consent are managed.
This is especially relevant if Gmail access becomes part of the chatbot’s Search tool, where user queries already interact with broader AI functions. With no public explanation yet of whether email content will be used to train the model, the idea of handing over inbox access may give some users pause, even if the interface promises convenience.
ChatGPT’s integration with Google services could make it more powerful, but only if the boundaries around data use are clearly drawn. Without that, the benefit of automation may come at the cost of control.
Read next:
• Researchers Link Browser Fingerprints to Ad Targeting, Undermining Online Privacy Promises
• Two-Fifths of U.S. Workers Now Use AI; Frontline Adoption Stalls, Leadership Use Climbs Sharply
At present, Gmail integration exists only through OpenAI’s Deep Research tool, which limits usage to background sourcing within longer reports. The latest test suggests a more hands-on approach is coming, one that turns email into an active part of the chat flow. If fully launched, this would bring ChatGPT closer to acting as a digital assistant that manages both information and personal workflow in real time.
But the shift raises questions about how personal data might be handled. Access to email bodies and calendar entries could, if left unchecked, open a path for sensitive information to feed back into the system. While OpenAI says user privacy is a priority, its track record has not always supported that. Earlier this month, it was revealed that conversations deleted by users inside ChatGPT had still been stored, undermining confidence in how memory and consent are managed.
This is especially relevant if Gmail access becomes part of the chatbot’s Search tool, where user queries already interact with broader AI functions. With no public explanation yet of whether email content will be used to train the model, the idea of handing over inbox access may give some users pause, even if the interface promises convenience.
ChatGPT’s integration with Google services could make it more powerful, but only if the boundaries around data use are clearly drawn. Without that, the benefit of automation may come at the cost of control.
Read next:
• Researchers Link Browser Fingerprints to Ad Targeting, Undermining Online Privacy Promises
• Two-Fifths of U.S. Workers Now Use AI; Frontline Adoption Stalls, Leadership Use Climbs Sharply
