Your inbox is a graveyard of productivity. While you’re deep in a focus block or stuck in a back-to-back meeting marathon, your unread count is mutating. Read AI, the startup that made a name for itself by summarizing your Zoom calls, just launched “Ada”—an email-based digital twin designed to stop the bleeding. It’s not just an auto-responder; it’s a version of you that knows your schedule, your priorities, and crucially, when to shut up.
| Attribute | Details |
| :— | :— |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Time Required | 5–10 Minutes to set up |
| Tools Needed | Read AI account, Gmail/Outlook integration |
The Why: The Death of the “Checking My Email” Excuse
The average professional spends 28% of their workweek reading and answering emails. We’ve tried folders, filters, and “Inbox Zero” philosophies, but the volume always wins. The problem isn’t just the reading; it’s the mental context-switching required to tell a recruiter you’re busy or a vendor that you’ll check back next Tuesday.
Read AI is betting that you don’t need to be the one typing those mundane replies. By launching Ada, they are moving beyond passive summarization into active agency. This shift mirrors a broader industry trend where Google Personal Intelligence is transforming standard apps into active agents that handle chores and bookings for you. If someone asks for a meeting, Ada knows you’re free on Thursday at 2 PM. If a colleague asks for the status of a project mentioned in a previous Slack thread or meeting, Ada can pull that context and provide it. It solves the “latency” problem of modern work—your twin responds instantly so you don’t have to.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Deploying Your Digital Twin
- Connect Your Ecosystem. Sync Read AI with your primary calendar and email provider (Google or Microsoft). For Ada to be effective, she needs access to the “truth” of your schedule and past interactions.
- Define Your Communication Style. Navigate to the “Digital Twin” settings. You aren’t just toggling a switch; you are teaching the AI how you sound. Update your profile to reflect whether you are brief and professional or warm and verbose. If you prefer using your voice to set these parameters, tools like Wispr Flow Android can help you dictate complex instructions into polished text.
- Set Permission Guardrails. Justin Farris, Read AI’s VP of Product, emphasizes that Ada won’t leak your secrets. Configure the “sensitive information” filters to ensure your twin never discusses budget figures or private HR matters without a manual override. This is a critical step in what happens when people don’t understand how AI works, as maintaining control over data is vital for security.
- Enable ‘Draft Mode’ First. Don’t let the AI fly solo on day one. Set Ada to “Draft” so she prepares replies in your inbox. You simply hit “Send” after a quick scan. Once you trust the output, move to “Auto-pilot.”
- Review the Daily Brief. At the end of the day, check the Read AI dashboard. It will show you exactly which conversations Ada handled and which ones require your actual human brain.
💡 Pro-Tip: Use the “Common Questions” feature to feed Ada specific answers to your most frequent inquiries (e.g., your shipping address, your standard consulting rate, or links to your portfolio). This turns the twin into a high-speed knowledge base for your contacts.
The Buyer’s Perspective: Is It Better Than a Virtual Assistant?
In the current market, Read AI is competing with heavyweights like Microsoft 365 Copilot and Google Gemini. Microsoft’s version is powerful but often feels buried under layers of enterprise menus. Read AI’s advantage is its cross-platform DNA. It doesn’t care if your meeting was on Teams but your email is on Gmail; it connects the dots across the stack. This type of automation is part of a larger movement toward the AI coworker, where autonomous agents handle complex business workflows.
However, there is a “uncanny valley” risk. If your contacts realize they are talking to a bot disguised as you, it can feel transactional or even dismissive. Compared to an AI like Shortwave, which focuses on organizing your view of the inbox, Read AI focuses on the output. If you are someone who receives high-volume, low-complexity inquiries, it’s a game-changer. If your work requires deep nuance and emotional intelligence, keep the twin on a short leash. Some critics argue that delegating such personal tasks could lead to a future where AI could make human beings irrelevant in the workplace.
FAQ
Does Ada read my encrypted or private emails?
Read AI only accesses data you explicitly authorize. It uses localized permissions to scan for context needed to answer specific queries, and you can blacklist specific senders or keywords from being “seen” by the twin.
Will my contacts know they are talking to an AI?
You have the option to include a disclaimer in the signature. Transparency is generally recommended to avoid the awkwardness of a contact realizing mid-conversation that they haven’t been talking to the “real” you.
Can Ada book meetings on my behalf?
Yes. Because Read AI integrates with your calendar, Ada can see your availability in real-time and offer specific time slots to people asking to connect, bypassing the “Does Tuesday work for you?” dance.
Ethical Note/Limitation: While Ada is highly sophisticated, she cannot navigate complex office politics or make high-stakes executive decisions that require human intuition and accountability.