Google now lets connected Gmail data shape ads in Search

Google has quietly changed one of its oldest privacy promises. Its privacy policy used to say, with no exceptions, that Google does not show personalised ads based on content from Gmail, Drive or Photos. The version that took effect on 16 October 2026 adds a condition: that holds "unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads", Notebookcheck reports after comparing it with the 12 October version.

How your inbox can reach ads

The route Google describes is Personal Intelligence, the feature that connects Gmail and Google Photos to Search so AI Mode can tailor answers, for example by suggesting restaurants based on reservations in your email. We covered the same feature when it reached Gemini in Android Auto.

Google's help page says ads will not be based directly on your inbox or photo library. But Search may use summaries, excerpts and inferences drawn from them, and Google adds that "that same info may be used to show you ads". Advertisers do not get access to Gmail or Photos, and sensitive categories such as health, religion and sexual orientation stay excluded. A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land that the company has started testing ads in AI Mode for people who connected their apps.

Training and human review too

The same connection lets Google use those summaries to train generative AI models, and some of them go to human reviewers. Google notes that for a short or highly relevant email, the "summary" can simply be the email itself. Disconnecting later does not delete what is already saved in your Search history; you have to remove it at activity.google.com.

Who is affected

Connected apps are limited to adults in supported countries, which include the US and much of Latin America, Asia and Africa. No EU country, the UK or Switzerland is on the list for now, so European users are not affected unless Google launches the feature there.

How to check your settings

In supported countries, look under Search Services Personalization in your Google Account, where Workspace apps and Google Photos can be disconnected separately. Personalised ads are managed in My Ad Center. Google's own advice is not to connect content apps that hold personal or confidential information you would not want used for AI training. For similar controls in other assistants, see our ChatGPT privacy settings guide.