Google updated its privacy policy on 16 October 2026 to allow Gmail, Drive and Photos content shared with its Personal Intelligence AI feature to power targeted advertising.
Personal Intelligence lets users connect Google's AI tools to their email inbox or photo library so answers and recommendations can be tailored to them. The feature was unveiled in Gemini in January 2026 and is rolling out as a beta to eligible users over 18 in most regions, excluding the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the U.K. and Nigeria.
Users who connect Gmail, Drive or Photos to AI Mode and other Search tools through Personal Intelligence could have ads shown to them based on that information. Google added this exception to its privacy policy: it will not use Drive, Gmail or Photos content for personalised ads unless the user makes that data available to other Google services that support personalised ads.
You may choose to allow certain Google services, including services like Search or Gemini Apps, to access data from other Google services you use, such as Google Photos and Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive, in order to provide you with a more personalized experience, subject to the policies and settings of the accessing service. For example, Search may process some of the data that you allow Search to access to personalize content, including ads.
Google's policy still says Gmail, Drive and Photos content is not used to personalise ads by default. The change creates an exception for users who opt in to share this data with services like Search that support personalised ads.
Advertisers still cannot access users' Drive, Gmail or Photos information, or personally identifiable details such as name and email address. Google says it will continue not to show ads based on sensitive topics such as race, sexual orientation, religion or health.
How the targeting works
Google's policy gives the example that searching for 'mountain bikes' in Search may lead to ads for sports equipment on YouTube. The updated policy language on personalised ads allows Search to process data a user allows it to access in order to personalise content, including ads.
How to opt out
- Disconnect individual apps Users can disconnect individual apps from Personal Intelligence.
- Disable personalised recommendations Users can disable Personalised Recommendations entirely on the Search Services Personalisation settings page.
Disconnecting an app does not necessarily erase data Google has already saved. Information in Search Services History may remain after disconnecting the app or deleting the original email or photo.
Broader industry trend
The update comes as tech companies quietly revise privacy policies and terms so customer data can train AI models or be licensed to others. Meta's commercial terms of use page was updated with language reportedly suggesting it could scrape content, including from news sites, from accounts with Meta business features to train its AI models.
How Google's approach differs from OpenAI's
In January 2026, OpenAI began showing ads to logged-in adult U.S. users in the free and ChatGPT Go tiers. OpenAI has since expanded advertising on ChatGPT to 26 more countries, bringing the total to 89, including 14 more Latin American countries and several markets in Europe, Africa and Asia.
OpenAI says ChatGPT conversations are kept private from advertisers and customer data is not sold. The company states that ads in ChatGPT are clearly labelled and separate from answers, and that advertising does not influence the answers ChatGPT provides.
We keep conversations private from advertisers and do not sell customer data.
Ads in ChatGPT are clearly labeled and separate from ChatGPT's answers, and advertising does not influence the answers ChatGPT provides.
Google's model differs from OpenAI's because Google allows ad targeting based on private content users share with its AI tools, whereas OpenAI keeps conversations separate from advertising decisions.
What critics say about the policy
Obviously, that sentence reads about as intentionally vague as possible.
The exception applies to data that users voluntarily supply to compatible services, rather than to automatic scanning of private emails and photos for advertising purposes. A line exists between deploying information to answer a user's request and deploying it to target specific ads that might interest that user.
What we know
- The policy update took effect on 16 October 2026.
- Personal Intelligence is available to eligible users over 18 globally, except in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the U.K. and Nigeria.
- Advertisers cannot access Drive, Gmail or Photos data, and Google will not target ads based on sensitive topics such as race, sexual orientation, religion or health.
- Users can opt out by disconnecting apps from Personal Intelligence or disabling Personalised Recommendations.
Still unclear
- Whether Personal Intelligence will remain opt-in permanently; 9to5Google says only 'for the time being'.
- Whether Google will extend the policy change to regions where Personal Intelligence is not yet available.
- How long previously saved data in Search Services History persists after a user disconnects an app.
- Whether Google will face regulatory scrutiny or public backlash comparable to the pressure that forced Meta to withdraw its AI training terms.
