Google adds your Gmail and Photos to AI Mode to enable "Personal Intelligence"

Ars Technica
Ars Technica
3h ago
Google is pushing deeper, opt-in personalization in Search’s AI Mode by allowing it to draw on Gmail and Photos to tailor responses, aiming to make answers more useful without requiring users to restate personal context in each query.
Google adds your Gmail and Photos to AI Mode to enable "Personal Intelligence"
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Key insights

  • 1

    Optional data connection expands AI Mode personalization: AI Mode can use Gmail and Google Photos if the user opts in, enabling more personalized answers based on personal context.

  • 2

    AI Mode uses fewer data sources than the Gemini app: The Gemini app version supports Gmail, Photos, Search, and YouTube history, while AI Mode’s “Personal Intelligence” is described as using Gmail and Photos.

  • 3

    Gmail is positioned as a key source of life-event context: Google suggests Gmail may contribute most because confirmation emails often reflect important events and plans.

A What happened
Google says AI is the future of search and is expanding personalization in its AI Mode with a feature it calls “Personal Intelligence.” If a user chooses to integrate data, AI Mode can scan Gmail and Google Photos to tailor answers to the user’s personal context. The integration is narrower than the Gemini app’s account-level personalization, which can use Gmail, Photos, Search, and YouTube history. Google positions Gmail as especially useful because many life events generate confirmation emails. The goal is for AI Mode to infer preferences and background details from connected services, reducing the need for users to include that context in their queries.

Topics

Technology & Innovation Artificial Intelligence Big Tech

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