How to Connect Gmail to Your AI Assistant (Complete Integration Guide)

Install the gog CLI tool: OpenClaw uses 'gog' (Gmail on the Go) for secure Gmail access. Install via: brew install gog (Mac) or npm install -g gog-cli (all platforms). This handles OAuth and provides a clean command-line interface to Gmail.

Run OAuth setup: Execute 'gog auth' in your terminal. This opens your browser to Google's consent screen. Sign in with your Gmail account and grant the requested permissions (read, send, modify emails). Google issues OAuth tokens that gog stores locally — your password is never exposed.

Understand the permissions: gog requests gmail.readonly (read emails), gmail.send (send on your behalf), gmail.modify (labels, archive). These are standard Gmail API scopes. You can revoke access anytime at myaccount.google.com/permissions.

Configure OpenClaw integration: Run 'openclaw plugins add gmail' or add to ~/.openclaw/config.yaml: plugins: [gmail]. OpenClaw automatically detects gog's OAuth tokens and can now access your email.

Test the connection: Ask your AI: 'How many unread emails do I have?' or 'Show me emails from today.' If it responds with actual email data, the integration is working.

Email summarization: Say 'Summarize my unread emails' or 'What's important in my inbox?' The AI reads your messages and gives you a prioritized briefing. For long threads: 'Summarize the conversation with Sarah about the project proposal.'

Draft replies: Tell your AI: 'Draft a reply to John's email saying I'll join the meeting but need to leave early.' It generates the response in your communication style. Review, edit if needed, then say 'Send it' or copy to Gmail.

Smart categorization: Ask: 'Categorize my last 50 emails' or set up auto-categorization: 'Label all emails from @company.com as Work.' The AI applies Gmail labels based on content understanding, not just sender rules.

Natural language search: Forget Gmail's search operators. Just ask: 'Find the email where Mike sent the contract last month' or 'Show me all emails about the Tokyo trip.' The AI translates to Gmail API queries and returns results.

Batch operations: 'Archive all promotional emails older than 30 days' or 'Mark all emails from newsletters as read.' Handle inbox cleanup in seconds instead of hours.

Privacy architecture: Your OAuth tokens stay on your machine. Email content is sent to the AI only when you explicitly request it. Nothing is stored in the cloud. For sensitive emails, you can ask the AI to summarize without including names: 'Summarize this thread without specific names.'

Set up daily email briefings: Configure a morning summary: 'Every day at 8am, summarize my unread emails and list anything urgent.' Get a digest via Telegram or WhatsApp instead of opening Gmail.

Troubleshooting OAuth: If authentication fails, run 'gog auth --reset' to clear tokens and re-authenticate. Check that third-party app access is enabled in your Google Workspace settings if using a work account.