AI summary tools exclusively parse "live text" (actual HTML text). They cannot read text embedded within images (e.g., JPEGs) or the alt text associated with them. Critical information like offer details must be in live text at the start of your email to be captured and displayed in summaries.
The traditional email pre-header is becoming obsolete as AI summaries auto-generate replacements by extracting content from the email's body. An estimated 50% of pre-headers will be AI-generated soon. Marketers must now focus on crafting a compelling opening 150 characters in the email body itself.
The rise of AI summaries is forcing a strategic shift away from slick, image-heavy email designs. To ensure key messages are captured by AI, marketers must prioritize live text at the beginning of their emails. This marks a functional return to simpler, text-focused structures from 10-15 years ago.
AI tools like Copilot and Gemini generate inbox summaries by pulling from the first 150 characters of "live text" (HTML text) in your email's body. This content often overwrites the pre-header you've written, making the email's opening sentence more critical than ever for engagement.