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Email + AI = 3 hours back in your week
Brett Stark
June 05, 2025
🧭 THIS WEEK AT AI SECOND ACT
Howdy, this week we’re getting into email and how AI can help the never-ending flood.
👉 As usual, please just hit "Reply" and let me know what you want more (or less) of and there is a quick poll at the end of this edition. My goal is to make this as valuable and practical as possible as we navigate the new AI era. 🚀
🧰 AI NEWS + LEARNING
Here’s a few things I found recently:
Perplexity Labs - Amazing new tool from Perplexity - I think of this as an extension of their ‘Deep Research’ feature but it goes further by creating dashboards, simple apps, creating code etc. Check out the link for examples.
Gamma - ‘‘Creative content at the speed of light.’’ - Use generative AI for PowerPoint slides!
ChatPRD - Supercharge your product management role! Wish I had this when I was in product management.
DeepLearning.AI - Huge amount of AI courses, often shorter and free. In future editions, I’ll link to specific courses for certain topics.
Generative AI for Everyone - Older course now but still a good intro.
🗺️ FEATURED INSIGHT - Fix Email
The Manual Basics
Before diving into AI tools, do this!
Delete and Archive Ruthlessly
The 2-minute rule: If it takes less than 2 minutes to handle, do it now. Everything else gets archived or deleted.
Unsubscribe weekly: Every Friday, unsubscribe from 5 newsletters you don't read.
Archive everything: Your inbox isn't a filing cabinet. Archive emails after action, keep inbox for active items only. Easily searchable later.
Send Less, Get Less
Think before replying or composing email! Do these things less!
Stop CC-ing everyone. Only include people who need to act or decide.
Use "Reply" not "Reply All" unless everyone genuinely needs your response.
Write shorter emails. Long emails generate long replies. Bullet points are your friend.
Now, once you've got the basics sorted, here's where AI can further improve it.
The AI Tools That Actually Work
Tool | Platform | Best For | Key Features | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Gmail | Google users | Contextual replies, thread summaries, detail extraction | Free/$20 | |
Both | High-volume emailers | AI replies, read tracking, 4+ hours saved weekly | $30/month | |
Gmail | Privacy-focused users | Open-source, auto-labeling, bulk unsubscribe | Free/$10 | |
Outlook | Microsoft 365 users | Built-in drafting, tone analysis, coaching | $20-30/month | |
Outlook | CRM integration | Task extraction, Salesforce sync, templates | Free/$15 | |
Both | Everyone | Smart filtering, 70% inbox reduction | $8/month |
The Simple Breakdown
Gmail Users:
Start with Gemini if you're on Google
Try Inbox Zero if you're budget-conscious or privacy-focused
Outlook Users:
Copilot if you live in Microsoft's ecosystem
MailMaestro if you need CRM integration
Either Platform:
Superhuman if email is eating your life (premium option)
SaneBox to cut inbox noise by 70% (everyone should try this)
Your 4-Week Implementation Plan
Week 1: Master the manual basics above. Delete, archive, unsubscribe.
Week 2: Turn on your email client's built-in AI (Gemini for Gmail, Copilot for Outlook).
Week 3: Add SaneBox for intelligent filtering. Watch your inbox volume drop.
Week 4: If you're still drowning, consider Superhuman (Gmail) or MailMaestro (Outlook).
Which Tool for Which Person?
Gmail power users: Gemini for integration, Superhuman for speed.
Outlook loyalists: Copilot for ecosystem integration, MailMaestro for CRM connections.
Privacy advocates: Inbox Zero keeps your data under your control.
Budget-conscious: Start with built-in features, add SaneBox if needed.
Pick one manual habit and one AI tool. Set them up. Give them a few weeks to prove themselves.
👉 Hit “Reply” and share your experience with AI & what help, insights and content you’d like.
Picture on unsplash, by Brett Jordan