Lyte Sales logoThe Lyte Guide to Outreach Product Releases 2022–2024 Archive
AI assistants feature guide

The Smart Assists: where Outreach’s AI started

Smart Email Assist drafted its first reply in 2023. By the end of 2024 there was an Assist for meetings, calls, deals and accounts.

Shipped Aug 2023 – Aug 2024 RepsAEsManagers

By David Jollie, Founder and Principal Consultant, Lyte Sales · Last updated · Covers Outreach release notes through November 2024

What it actually does

Smart Email Assist drafts emails: replies first, then first emails and follow-ups from recorded meetings and calls. You give it a prompt, a length and a tone, and edit the draft before sending.

Smart Meeting Assist and Smart Call Assist summarize Kaia recordings and answer questions about them, with links to the exact moment. Smart Deal Assist and Smart Account Assist answer questions about a deal or account and summarize what’s been happening.

Who it's for

Reps and AEs use the email drafts. Managers use the summaries and deal answers for reviews and one-on-ones.

Why it matters

Less time writing and rewatching, more time selling.

How it grew, 2022–2024

AUG 23
Smart Email Assist beta: AI-drafted replies in Outreach and Gmail.
SEP 23
Smart Meeting Assist beta; generally available in November.
FEB 24
Smart Email Assist in Outlook.
MAY 24
First emails, meeting follow-ups, Smart Deal Assist, Smart Account Assist and summaries for dialer calls.
AUG 24
Call follow-ups and Smart Kaia Coach.

How to set it up

  1. Turn the feature on for the org

    As an admin, open the AI features settings and switch on each Assist you want. In today’s Outreach that’s Administration › Agents & AI › Features; that menu name is newer than these releases.

  2. Turn it on for profiles

    Open each profile under Administration › User Management › Access control and tick the matching AI checkbox. Both the org and profile settings are needed.

  3. Turn on call summaries

    For Outreach Voice calls, enable Smart Call Assist under Administration › Tools › Kaia.

  4. Update the extensions

    Have Gmail users update the extension and Outlook users install the latest add-in.

  5. Give it time

    Deal and Account Assist need to load existing data first, which can take hours or a few days, before the Assist button appears.

Steps paraphrased from Outreach’s Smart Email Assist Overview, Smart Deal Assist Overview, Smart Account Assist Overview and How to use Kaia Smart Meeting and Call Assist articles, which describe the current version. Menu names can change; check them against your org.

Want help with this?

Make the AI earn its keep.

Lyte Sales is a certified Outreach Professional Services partner. We turn on Outreach’s AI features and help your team build habits around them.

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