Google Messages Beta Adds Smart Reply Draft Option

Google is rolling out a new option in its Messages app for Android that allows users to review and edit AI-generated Smart Replies before sending them, addressing concerns over accidental transmissions. The feature, spotted in the latest beta version, introduces a toggle to switch between the existing "Tap to Send" behavior and a safer "Tap to Draft" mode, with the change currently available only to beta testers.

Smart Replies, which debuted in Google Messages in 2018, use on-device artificial intelligence to suggest concise, contextually relevant responses to incoming texts. These suggestions appear as tappable chips above the compose field in conversations and notifications. Under the default "Tap to Send" setting, selecting a suggestion immediately dispatches the message to the recipient, offering quick convenience for simple exchanges. However, this has led to frustrations for some users, who report unintended sends due to errant taps, potentially resulting in mismatched tones or embarrassing miscommunications.

The new "Tap to Draft" toggle, enabled through the app's Suggestions settings, alters this process. When activated, tapping a Smart Reply inserts the text directly...