New AI Assistants You Should Know About

Gemini’s Personal Intelligence Connects Your Google Apps

On January 14, Google rolled out Personal Intelligence, a beta feature for its Gemini AI assistant. By connecting your Gmail, Photos, YouTube and Search accounts, Gemini can retrieve specific details and reason across complex sources. For example, the article’s author describes asking Gemini for the tire size of a 2019 minivan and receiving not only the specs but also model‑specific recommendations pulled from past emails and photos. Personal Intelligence is available to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the U.S., with broader availability planned soon.

Why it matters: solopreneurs juggle countless tasks—quotes, client queries, receipts. Instead of remembering where every piece of information lives, you can ask Gemini to “find the invoice from last month’s catering order” or “show photos from my last product photoshoot.” With your permission, Gemini securely accesses the necessary data and provides a succinct answer. Privacy safeguards mean you choose which apps to connect and can turn the feature off at any time.

Gmail Enters the Gemini Era with AI Overviews and a Smarter Inbox

Google didn’t stop with the Gemini app. On January 27, the company announced that Gmail is entering the Gemini era. New AI Overviews summarise long email threads and answer questions using natural language. A user can ask, “Who was the plumber that quoted me last year?” and Gemini will identify the vendor, saving you from endless inbox searches. Free features like Help Me Write generate and polish emails, while upgraded Suggested Replies use context to propose responses. A forthcoming AI Inbox will highlight important messages—such as bills due or appointment reminders—ensuring they don’t get buried.

Why it matters: email remains the lifeblood of small businesses, yet managing it can be a time‑sink. AI Overviews transform your inbox into a question‑and‑answer system. Suggested Replies and Help Me Write free up time by drafting responses in your own tone. The AI Inbox’s prioritisation could prevent missed payments and opportunities. Many of these features are rolling out at no cost, with advanced capabilities reserved for AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.

Sage Copilot Brings AI to Manufacturing and Distribution

On January 19, enterprise software maker Sage launched an AI‑powered Copilot within its cloud‑based operations suite (formerly Sage Distribution & Manufacturing Operations). This Copilot uses generative AI to surface context‑aware insights on fulfillment, logistics and customer issues directly inside daily workflows. It can flag potential order delays or bottlenecks and guide team members on the next steps.

Why it matters: while tailored to manufacturing and distribution, this announcement signals a trend towards AI‑embedded operational software for small businesses. If your venture relies on inventory management or shipping, expect similar features to appear in your tools soon. Copilot’s proactive alerts reduce the need to constantly monitor dashboards, allowing you to focus on strategy and customer service.

Melio Introduces “Agent Mel” for Accounts Payable and Receivable

Payment platform Melio unveiled Agent Mel on January 28. This conversational assistant sits inside Melio’s accounts payable and receivable dashboard, answering questions about bills, payments and vendors. It can highlight overdue invoices, calculate real‑time cash‑flow impacts, and even provide context around specific transactions—all without extra setup.

Why it matters: accounting tasks often slip through the cracks for solo business owners. By turning your payables dashboard into a chat experience, Agent Mel reduces friction in finding information. You could ask, “What’s my outstanding balance with supplier X?” or “Which clients owe me money this week?” and get instant answers. This empowers you to make faster, better decisions without hiring a bookkeeper.

Tools You Can Start Using Today

Here are four AI tools emerging from these announcements that you can implement immediately to save time and improve operations.

1. Enable Personal Intelligence in Gemini

Who it’s for: anyone using Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube or Search for business.
What it does: Personal Intelligence links your Google apps so Gemini can answer detailed questions about your data.
How to get started: If you’re a Google AI Pro or Ultra subscriber in the U.S., open the Gemini app and navigate to Settings → Personal Intelligence. Choose which apps to connect and start with simple queries like “Show me receipts for last week.” Remember you can disable the feature at any time.
Free? Currently available to paid subscribers, with expansion to more tiers expected in the coming months.

2. Use Gmail’s AI Overviews and Help Me Write

Who it’s for: anyone with a Gmail account.
What it does: AI Overviews summarise long threads and answer natural‑language questions about your inbox. Help Me Write drafts emails and Suggested Replies propose quick responses.
How to get started: Open an email thread with several replies and look for the “Get an Overview” option. Try asking your inbox a specific question (“Which invoices are overdue?”). Enable Help Me Write in settings and test it on your next customer email. Use the suggested replies to speed up routine communications.
Free? AI Overviews and Help Me Write are rolling out at no cost; advanced proofreading and search‑across‑inbox features require AI Pro or Ultra.

3. Explore Melio’s Agent Mel

Who it’s for: small and midsized businesses that manage accounts payable and receivable.
What it does: Agent Mel is a chat‑based assistant that retrieves information about bills, due dates and vendors and highlights cash‑flow implications.
How to get started: Log in to your Melio dashboard and look for the chat icon. Ask Agent Mel about your largest outstanding invoice or upcoming payments. Use its insights to prioritise follow‑ups or plan cash reserves.
Free? Agent Mel is included in Melio’s core offering at no additional cost.

4. Sync Your Books with Digits and BILL

Who it’s for: entrepreneurs using Digits’ general ledger and BILL for billing and payments.
What it does: Digits has partnered with BILL to automatically sync bills, invoices and payments into your ledger. This integration reduces manual data entry and ensures real‑time financial tracking.
How to get started: If you’re a Digits user, connect your BILL account through the new API integration. Check that invoices and payments flow correctly. Use Digits’ dashboard to monitor cash flow without reconciling spreadsheets.
Free? The integration comes with existing Digits subscriptions; transaction fees still apply when paying through BILL.

What This Means for Your Business

These announcements highlight a shift from reactive task management to proactive, conversational workflows. AI is becoming a colleague that not only follows orders but also anticipates your needs. Here’s how to make the most of it:

Centralise information: connecting your Google apps or accounting platforms allows AI to access the context it needs to provide relevant answers. The more siloed your data, the less helpful these assistants will be.

Trust but verify: AI tools make recommendations based on patterns, but they can misinterpret ambiguous data. Always review drafts from Help Me Write and cross‑check financial suggestions from Agent Mel or Sage Copilot.

Upgrade your communication: auto‑generated summaries and replies free you to focus on nuance and relationships. Use the time savings to personalise outreach to top clients or plan new services.

Be prepared to scale: as your business grows, integrate solutions like Digits and Sage Copilot to handle more complexity. Even if you don’t run a factory, similar operational assistants will soon permeate e‑commerce, consulting and services.

Action Steps for the Week Ahead

Test AI Overviews: search for a complex email thread and generate an AI Overview. Note how much time it saves compared to manual scanning.
Consolidate your data: make a list of the platforms holding your customer, financial and content data. Identify which ones can be connected to AI assistants (e.g., Gmail, Photos, Melio) and enable integrations where comfortable.
Chat with Agent Mel: pick a day this week to ask Agent Mel about your cash‑flow status and overdue payments. Use the insights to adjust your billing strategy.
Explore general ledger automation: if you’re still manually entering invoices, test the Digits‑BILL integration or similar tools. Even a small reduction in bookkeeping time adds up.
Plan for AI‑powered operations: think ahead to which repetitive tasks could be delegated to AI as solutions mature—inventory replenishment, appointment scheduling or resource allocation.

Wrapping Up

Late January 2026 proved that AI isn’t just about flashy chatbots; it’s rapidly becoming a practical co‑pilot for finance, operations and communication. Personal Intelligence and AI Overviews give you smarter access to your own data, Sage Copilot and Melio’s Agent Mel bring conversational automation into supply chains and accounting, and integrations like Digits + BILL ensure your books are always up to date. Embrace these tools now and you’ll spend less time on admin and more on growth. For more deep dives and step‑by‑step guides, keep an eye on SoloAITool.com.