> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://herwaka.shesharp.org.nz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Summarise Gmail with AI

> Tame your inbox in seconds — use AI to read and summarise your unread emails, catch up on messages from specific senders, and find what matters fast. No coding required.

<Tip>
  **Difficulty: ★☆☆☆☆ Getting Started** · Estimated time: \~5 to 20 minutes (depending on the path you choose)
</Tip>

You come back from a week of leave. Your inbox has 340 unread emails. There are 12 from your manager, a few newsletters you meant to cancel, three meeting invites buried somewhere in the middle, and a thread with "URGENT" in the subject that turned out to be a lunch order.

You could spend an hour scrolling, skimming, and sorting — or you could ask AI to summarise it all in 30 seconds.

**That's what we're building.** A workflow that reads your Gmail and gives you a clear, useful summary — instantly.

<Info>
  **Tutorial led by [Chan Meng](https://chanmeng.org/)** — Senior AI/ML Engineer, open-source contributor, and former ByteDance developer. Chan has built 30+ live applications and specialises in AI-powered solutions. She is also a panel speaker at this event and the developer behind this website.
</Info>

## What you will build

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Connect" icon="plug">
    Link an AI tool to your Gmail account so it can read your emails
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fetch" icon="download">
    Pull emails — all unread, from a specific sender, or matching a search
  </Card>

  <Card title="Summarise" icon="sparkles">
    AI reads the emails and gives you a clear, actionable summary
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Two paths to choose from

This tutorial offers two ways to achieve the same result. Pick the one that suits your situation.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Full Tutorial (CLI + Voice)" icon="terminal">
    **\~20 minutes** · Recommended

    Install Gemini CLI, add the Google Workspace extension, and speak your prompts with Wispr Flow. A voice-first experience that builds CLI skills you will use in every tutorial after this one.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick Preview (browser)" icon="browser">
    **\~5 minutes** · Quickest

    Open Gemini in your browser, turn on the Gmail extension, and start asking for summaries. No installation needed — but you will not learn the CLI skills used in other tutorials.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  **Which path should I choose?** We recommend the **Full Tutorial** — it teaches you CLI skills you will use in every tutorial after this one, and prepares you for professional tools like Claude Code. The Quick Preview is available if you only have 5 minutes and want to see what AI can do before committing to the full setup.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  **Voice or typing — both work.** Path B is designed as voice-first using Wispr Flow, but every prompt works exactly the same if you type or paste it instead. Wispr Flow is optional — it just makes the experience hands-free.
</Tip>

## How it works

**Full Tutorial: Gemini CLI + Voice**

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A["You speak"] --> B["Wispr Flow\nconverts to text"]
    B --> C["Gemini CLI\nreads your emails"]
    C -->|"summarises"| D["You get\na summary"]
```

**Quick Preview: Gemini App (web)**

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A["You enable\nGmail extension"] -->|"one click"| B["Gemini reads\nyour emails"]
    B -->|"summarises"| C["You get\na summary"]
```

Both paths connect an AI assistant to your Gmail account. The AI reads your emails, analyses the content, and produces a structured summary — all in seconds. The Full Tutorial adds voice input and CLI skills you will reuse in every future tutorial.

## What you will learn

* Connect an AI tool to a real service (Gmail) to access live data
* Write clear prompts that produce useful, structured email summaries
* Filter and search emails using natural language (by sender, date, topic)
* Customise summary formats for different needs (quick catch-up, executive briefing, action items)
* Ask follow-up questions about emails you haven't read
* Use voice input with Wispr Flow for a hands-free workflow (Path B)
* Work with AI as a daily productivity tool for inbox management

<Note>
  **No coding required.** The AI handles everything — your job is to describe what kind of summary you want. If you can explain what you need to a colleague, you can do this.
</Note>

## Tools

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Gemini CLI" icon="terminal">
    Google's free AI assistant that runs in your terminal. Supports extensions for Google Workspace. Used in the Full Tutorial.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Wispr Flow" icon="microphone">
    Optional voice input tool — speak instead of type. Works in any application, including your terminal. Used in the Full Tutorial.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Gemini App" icon="browser">
    Google's free AI assistant in your browser. Connect it to Gmail and chat with your inbox. Used in the Quick Preview only.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Node.js" icon="node-js">
    Required to install Gemini CLI. Only needed for Path B.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Cost

| Tool       | Cost                                                                               |
| ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Gemini App | Free                                                                               |
| Gemini CLI | Free (1,000 requests/day)                                                          |
| Wispr Flow | Free trial ([invite link for a free month of Pro](https://wisprflow.ai/r?CHAN115)) |
| Node.js    | Free                                                                               |
| Gmail      | Free                                                                               |
| **Total**  | **\$0**                                                                            |

## Prerequisites

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="A laptop with internet" icon="laptop">
    Windows or macOS. No special hardware needed.
  </Card>

  <Card title="5 to 20 minutes" icon="clock">
    Depends on the path you choose. Take your time — there's no rush.
  </Card>

  <Card title="A Gmail account" icon="envelope">
    Any personal or work Gmail account. You will give the AI read-only access to your emails.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  Ready to get started? Head to [Set up your tools](/tutorial/gmail-summary/setup) to get everything connected.
</Note>