Shortwave is an AI-native email client built for Gmail and Google Workspace, designed to automate inbox management and let users work through email using natural-language prompts. Founded in 2020 by Andrew Lee, co-founder of Firebase (acquired by Google in 2014), the company rebuilt the email experience around AI rather than bolting assistance onto a traditional client.
The product combines a conversational AI Assistant with multi-step reasoning, a Ghostwriter that learns the user's personal writing voice to draft and reply, AI-powered search across the mailbox, and email summarization for long threads and newsletters. Users can automate routine actions, labeling, starring, archiving, and more, by describing rules in plain English, and a Tasklet automation layer connects the inbox to tools such as Slack, Notion, Asana, and HubSpot so workflows can run without leaving email.
Shortwave also includes productivity and collaboration features such as split inbox, bundled triage for newsletters and promotions, email-to-todo conversion, scheduled send, and shared threads with private team comments and assignment. It runs across iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, and the web.
The company is backed by Sequoia, and its founder's Firebase pedigree has helped position Shortwave as a leading AI-native email client for power users and teams. It serves individuals and companies of various sizes, with publicly referenced users including well-known technology firms, and offers a free tier alongside paid plans that expand AI usage and automation.