Now Even Gmail Will Push AI-Powered Search on You
While I would consider this feature to be helpful, I'm still a bit hesitant to introduce more AI into my day-to-day life. At least, I want AI features to be optional tools that I can disable at my discretion. In this case, it appears that Gmail's AI search tool will be optional. You will have the freedom to select the classic Most recent search filter, and sift through messages yourself.
Gmail's search and filters have been annoying for some time now. This feels like an overpowered bandaid to that problem
"Annoying" is extremely generous. I have to use it for work and it's a fucking nightmare. I can type in the exact text of the subject of an email and it's nowhere to be found.
In this case, it appears that Gmail's AI search tool will be optional.
Until they quietly turn it on by default after the initial news had cooled down
What if it's always on and only available to the user if you turn it on? What if it's always generating info for Google and there's nothing you can do but stop using Google products?
Enabling this feature will probably require you to agree to Google AI training on your emails.
I'm sure you've already agreed by continuing to use Gmail.
Even if you haven't they have been using your email for all kinds of purposes the whole time. Training is just the most recent.
Solution looking for a problem
I could be wrong, but I believe most AI isn't really AI as we imagine it. It's a LLM (language learning model). The more you interact with it the better it gets
I dont even mind this too much yet still I want to switch off from gmail. If google decided to suspend my account for some reason I would be completely fucked. Even if you love google you still should switch off from using their services because there is a chance you might lose access to them in the future if this world goes even more off its rocker.
Aye, I have looked through this too: https://european-alternatives.eu/alternative-to/gmail
Unfortunately every service seems to have something going on that I dont like or they dont have something I want. Maybe I should just be less discerning. It doesnt help that switching is a lot of effort and bother.
I took a look at disroot but i heard about that too that there are some things about it that make it not useable to me, like them storing the mails unencrypted apparently. So that one became not an option.
Proton might be good, but after everything i have heard about that too i fear it might develop more problems later which would just have me switch again.
Tuta might be good, but I have heard about that one too that they like sending ads about their services you cant opt out so that kind of attitude doesn't sit well with me. Not even google does that. That also has be worrying they might start enshittifying the service at some point and maybe make the free version so awful i'd have to switch again.
Many others can't be used for free at all, which is quite important thing for service this crucial. I wish eu itself would create some email service instead of having to rely on corporations that might change their mind about anything the moment it becomes more profitable to them. Though that one would probably be very austere and definitely not have aliases as option.. Why must everything it related be so annoying nowdays.
Kmail on your list seems decent. I cant seem to find a way to make account for it, only to get the client for managing other accounts unless i'm misunderstanding something.
Gmail is a messaging platform that optionally supports email, change my mind.
Gemini is already in my mother's gmail, so far she's avoided the bloody thing.
I already to to DuckDuckGo to search for medical stuff and other things I don't need Google knowing. Their search results aren't bad especially compared to current Google.