Topline
A screenshot of a supposed Google email to Gmail users circulated across X on Thursday claiming the tech company would phase out Gmail completely later this year—a development the company appeared to deny in a cryptic post on X, saying: “Gmail is here to stay.”
In this photo illustration, the Gmail logo is seen displayed on a mobile phone screen with the ... [+]
Key Facts
A screenshot of the email, which gathered more than 1 million views across the multiple accounts that posted it, claimed Gmail would be sunsetted on Aug. 1, meaning the email service would “no longer support sending, receiving, or storing emails.”
In a section of the email titled, “Why Gmail Is Sunsetting,” the message said Google was focusing on developing communication technologies and platforms.
X Product Lead Chris Bakke, who has been known to post trolling content on X, was one of the users who shared the screenshot.
Bakke joked in his post that he's the senior vice president of product at Google, saying he was asked by Google CEO Sundar Pichai to fire the company’s Gemini team and accidentally fired the entire Gmail team.
X owner Elon Musk has publicly criticized Google’s Gemini AI model, recently posting a meme that portrays Gemini as woke and racist while xAI, a Musk-founded AI competitor, is “truth-seeking.”
Google announced last year it would be phasing out Gmail’s HTML view in 2024, noting in a support post the Gmail service is transitioning users to the latest version of Gmail known as standard view.
X didn’t immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment.
Tangent
Google on Thursday said it would pause a feature of its Gemini AI image generator allowing users to create images of people following widespread backlash after screenshots circulated online showing Gemini-created images with misleading races in historical contexts. Those images were slammed in a New York Post piece Wednesday morning and received the scorn of billionaire Musk, who called the feature “woke” and “super racist” in a series of posts on his platform. Google released a statement Thursday saying it was “working to improve these kinds of depictions immediately.”
Forbes Valuation
We estimate Musk’s net worth at $207.5 billion, making him the second-wealthiest person in the world behind LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault ($228.3 billion).
Key Background
Gmail has been a behemoth in the email industry since its launch in April 2004, putting it up against rivals Yahoo and AOL. Google said last year it would begin sunsetting Gmail’s HTML version starting this January. The stripped-down HTML view of Gmail allows for quicker load times and better connectivity while on slower connections.
Further Reading
Google Stops Gemini AI From Making Images Of People—After Musk Calls Service ‘Woke’ (Forbes)
The Elon Musk And Media Tug-Of-War Over XAI’s Fundraising Plans (Forbes)
