Google Messages' Smart Reply feature makes replying to texts a breeze with its suggestions. While Smart Reply can't compose entire messages for you, it can suggest some frequently used quick replies based on the text content. With Magic Compose, Google plans to bring the power of Bard to its messaging app, supercharging your texting efforts. We first reported about Magic Compose in early May before it was officially unveiled at I/O 2023. The experimental feature has now gone live in the US, letting you use Bard's AI magic to compose messages.

As per Google's support page, Magic Compose is seemingly only available for RCS conversations in the Messages app. If the feature is rolled out for your account, you need to enable it from the app's Settings menu. You then use Magic Compose's suggestions to initiate a chat or rewrite your message in different tones and styles by tapping the pencil icon next to your typed text.

For now, Magic Compose can rephrase your text in seven styles: Remix, Excited, Chill, Shakespeare, Lyrical, Formal, and Short.

While Magic Compose sounds handy, especially if you are a heavy Messages user, there's one major gripe. Using the feature breaks end-to-end encryption (E2EE), as up to 20 of your last messages are sent to Google's servers to generate the responses. These messages are then discarded, with Google not storing any data or using it for training its AI models. So, for now, you'll have to decide between the security of E2EE and the power of AI for your RCS chats.

Magic Compose is being made available on a priority basis to premium Google One subscribers in the US who are also a part of the Messages beta program on the Play Store. This is similar to how the company is providing priority access to Search Labs to its premium Google One subscribers.