Story
When I need a common job done on what I'm looking at, I want 1 tap to do it, so I don't have to type out the ask every time.
Ravi, a site manager in Bengaluru, reading a long supplier email thread on his phone between deliveries.
- 01 Setting
A supplier thread about late cement has 14 replies.
- 02 Trigger
Ravi has 2 minutes before the next truck and needs to know what was agreed.
- 03 Without it
He opens the assistant and types the ask with 1 thumb. By the time it answers, the truck is at the gate.
- 04 With it
1 tap on Summarise. 3 lines say what went wrong, what is offered, and the deadline.
- 05 Outcome
He taps Draft a reply, checks it, and sends it himself.
Live demo
This demo follows a script, so it plays the same every time - there is no real AI behind it. Change a setting to see the same moment play out differently.
What happens, step by step
| State | The person sees | The AI is | When | Screen reader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The thread, with Summarise, Draft a reply and Translate as chips under the subject. | Idle. | 0 s | - |
| 2 | The chip he tapped turns dark. A sheet opens at the bottom. | Starts work on this thread. | on tap | - |
| 3 | "Summarising 14 replies" in the sheet. | Reads the thread. | 1-3 s | “Summarising 14 replies” |
| 4 | "Summary of 14 replies" and 3 short points. A draft is marked "Not sent". | Writes. | - | - |
| 5 | Copy and Draft a reply under a summary. Shorter and Review and send under a draft. | Idle. | when done | “Done” |
On each device
- phone
- 2 or 3 actions sit as chips under the subject, by the thumb. The result opens in a sheet at the bottom, with the thread still above it.
- tablet
- As on desktop in landscape, as on the phone in portrait.
- desktop
- The actions sit at the top of the item. The result opens in a side panel, so the original stays in view to check against.
When to use it
- A few jobs cover most of what people want from this kind of item. For example: summarise an email, translate a message, explain an error.
- Typing the ask is slow, like on a phone, or people type the same ask again and again.
- The job is about the whole item on screen, so the AI already knows what "this" is.
- The job is about 1 part of the item, like 1 sentence. Use Inline action on selection instead.
- The jobs vary too much to name in 1 or 2 words. Use Prompt composer instead.
- The action would send, post or delete something. That needs a check first. Use Approval gate instead.
The parts of the pattern
- AAction chips2 to 4 named jobs, on the item they act on. 1 tap each.
- BResult titleWhat it is and what it came from: "Summary of 14 replies".
- CResultShort and easy to scan. Points for a summary, a draft for a reply.
- DNext actionsThe likely next jobs, like Draft a reply. A draft is never sent by itself.
Do and Avoid
Cement delivery - new date
Summarise · Draft a reply · Translate
Hi Ravi, sorry, the truck broke down…
Cement delivery - new date ✦
Hi Ravi, sorry, the truck broke down…
Reply draft
Hi Suresh, Friday morning works if…
Not sent · Review and send
Reply
Reply sent to Suresh
Writing and accessibility
- Name each action with a plain verb: "Summarise", "Draft a reply", "Translate".
- Title the result with what it is and what it came from: "Summary of 14 replies".
- Say plainly when nothing went out: "Not sent".
- Show 2 to 4 actions. Put the rest behind More, not in the row.
- Actions are real buttons with text labels. An icon alone is not enough.
- Announce the work and the end: "Summarising 14 replies", then "Done".
- Move focus to the result's title when it opens, and back to the action when it closes.
- On phones, each action is at least 44 px tall, with space between them.
Seen in real products
- GmailAndroid and iOS · Jun 2024A "Summarize this email" button sits under the subject of longer threads. Tapping it opens a sheet with a bullet summary.9to5Google, 24 Jun 2024 (updated 4 Jul 2024) ↗
- Outlook (Copilot)Windows, Mac, web, Android and iOS · Nov 2026"Summary by Copilot" sits at the top of an email thread. The summary appears above the email and can include numbered citations that open the message they came from.Microsoft Support: Summarize an email thread with Copilot in Outlook ↗
Each example comes from the product’s help pages, release notes or teardowns, with the month it was checked. Products change every month - tell us when 1 is out of date.
Check yourself
Seen this pattern done better, or a product that changed? Press Suggest next to any heading, or tell us about the whole page.