TL;DR
- Google updated its privacy policy to clarify that it could use information shared through Personal Intelligence to personalize ads.
- Gmail, Drive, and Photos content isn’t used for targeted ads by default, but connecting them to eligible Google services could change that.
- You can disconnect connected apps or disable personalized recommendations, but previously saved data may remain in Search Services History.
Google has been pushing Personal Intelligence to make its AI services useful. Instead of giving you generic answers, Gemini and Google Search can pull information from connected apps, including Gmail and Google Photos, to better understand what you’re asking and provide more relevant responses.
But there’s a privacy trade-off. Google updated its privacy policy to clarify that it could use information you choose to share with certain Google services to personalize ads. Given how much personal information many of us have in Gmail and Google Photos, it’s worth paying attention.