When choosing an AI email assistant, first consider how many emails you handle daily, which ecosystem your email is in, and whether you need team collaboration. Shortwave, Superhuman, Gmail Gemini, and Outlook Copilot can summarize and draft emails, but the actual target groups vary greatly.
Streamlining according to email ecosystem first
| Tools | Priority is given to suitable suitors | Not suitable |
|---|---|---|
| Shortwave | Gmail users, many email threads, and need AI search and batch processing | Teams with very strict Outlook or enterprise permissions |
| Superhuman | High-frequency email users, salespeople, founders, investors | People who only reply to emails occasionally and are sensitive to subscription fees |
| Gmail Gemini | Teams already working in Google Workspace | People who want to switch to an independent email client |
| Outlook Copilot | Deep users of Microsoft 365, Teams, Outlook | Individual Gmail users or teams not using Microsoft Suite |
What really needs to be tested isn't writing ability
The most often exaggerated feature of the email assistant is "helping you write better." In reality, you should test three things: can you accurately summarize long threads, can you find promises and attachments from your past emails, and can you write replies that can be sent directly according to your tone. Only polishing the tone doesn't necessarily save much time.
How to choose for greater stability?
If you can't live without Gmail but want a stronger email workbench, try Shortwave first; If you handle a large volume of business emails daily and speed is more important than price, Superhuman is more suitable; Since all company files are in Google Workspace, I started with Gmail Gemini; For sales, projects, and management teams in the Microsoft ecosystem, Outlook Copilot runs much smoother.
Who is it not suitable for? If your email volume is small or your main issue is your inbox is too messy, start with filtering rules, tags, unsubscribe, and template replies. AI email assistants are suitable for high-frequency, repetitive, and information-dense email scenarios, and not suitable for outsourcing basic email habits to models.
