Google changes privacy policy: Gmail data may feed into ads once Personal Intelligence is switched on

Google has changed its privacy policy as it rolls out the Personal Intelligence feature, the Polish tech site Antyweb reported on 24 October 2026. The change concerns how data from private apps may also be used in advertising.

What Personal Intelligence is

It is an optional service that links Gmail, Google Photos, Drive, YouTube and search history into a shared context for the Gemini assistant and for search. Instead of generic answers, the assistant is meant to draw on your own data. One example from the descriptions: it could read a hotel booking from an email and suggest restaurants nearby.

According to earlier reports, the feature is switched off by default. Users decide whether to turn it on and which apps to connect, and they can disconnect the apps at any time. Google also says Gemini is not trained directly on the contents of Gmail or the Google Photos library.

What changes in the privacy policy

According to the policy wording described by Antyweb, the content of email, photos and Drive is still not used by default to personalise ads. The exception is when a user voluntarily connects those apps to Google services. Consenting to Personal Intelligence could then mean that data shared for better answers is also used by advertising systems for more precise profiling.

Google stresses that it does not sell personal data and does not automatically analyse the full contents of inboxes without the user's consent. The Antyweb author argues that the line between an assistant and ad targeting is becoming blurred. That is the author's assessment, not Google's position.

Availability

The service launched on 14 January 2026 in the US for subscribers to the Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans. It works in the Gemini app in a browser, on Android and on iOS. Google said it would eventually reach more countries, the free Gemini plan and AI Mode in search.

Antyweb writes that the service has not yet been officially launched in the European Union, including Poland. The site says its arrival in Europe is only a matter of time.

What this means for you

The sources do not say whether or when Personal Intelligence will be available in the UK. For now there is no need to change any settings. When the feature does appear, it is worth reading the consent screens carefully before connecting Gmail or Google Photos.

Antyweb advises checking the data and privacy section of your Google account settings, and managing connected apps there. Personalised recommendations can also be switched off in the same place. Disconnecting an app does not delete information already collected in your service history.