Gmail just killed cold email... or not So, Gmail just officially entered the “Gemini Era.” And just like the Microsoft BCL update back in Oct 2023 — this is being forced on everyone unless they opt out. Basically? The AI is now the default gatekeeper for your prospects. But before the panic sets in... let’s look at the actual data. We’ve been seeing these features (AI summaries, drafting assistants) in the wild for a while now. The verdict? — We haven’t seen a significant drop in deliverability. — If anything, numbers are trending up post-holidays. However, the rules of engagement have shifted. If you want to stay in the primary inbox, here is what we are seeing on the ground: 1. Google loves “Casual.” The AI favors copy that sounds like it came from a friend. — Stiff, corporate "professional" tone? Flagged. — Informal, human, low-friction? It gets through. 2. The “Summary Trap” is real. This is the single biggest risk to your campaigns. If you bury your value prop in paragraph 3 after introducing yourself or any bs, the AI is going to miss it. It will summarize who you are and simply tell the prospect: “Sender provided additional context.” And just like that, your email is gone. The Fix? You have to walk a fine line. Be conversational (to please the filter), but be ruthlessly direct (to please the summarizer). Don't fluff it up. Treat the AI like a busy executive assistant. If you don't get to the point in sentence one, you might not get read at all. As always, cold email has thrived over and over again no matter what the filters throw at us, so just sit back, check your campaign performance and adjust or at least A/B test! What do y'all thing is going to happen?
So basically, Gmail’s AI is now the world’s most overqualified secretary. Maybe next year it’ll start negotiating our deals too?
Generic cold email didn't die with this update—it was dead years ago. Now it's annihilated, creating more opportunity for those who master personalization and deliverability.
Anthony Baltodano I've seen conversational, direct openers win... lead with the value in sentence one.
I think we’re entering an era where cold email is going to feel more like a skill than a spam tactic. Anthony Baltodano
Small environmental change to be aware of, but the game is the same 😎
Some people are going to make a ton of money now, and others will stay behind 😶🌫️
The 🐐staying on top of this as usual - thanks for the intel!
wow
You shouldn’t be introducing yourself in cold email anyways, ever. “Hey, your company is doing X. Here’s the pain involved and how to do it better/accomplish desired results. My company did this for Y and they saw Z value. How are you going about it?”