Google policy update lets AI Mode tap Gmail, Drive for ad targeting

Google altered its privacy rules on October 16 to permit advertising informed by the contents of Gmail, Drive and Google Photos for certain users, adding a caveat to its earlier promise not to use such data for personalized ads. The change was first reported by Android Authority.

The updated policy text now states the commitment holds "unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads." That exception applies to people who have connected Drive, Gmail or Google Photos to AI Mode and other Search tools through Google's Personal Intelligence feature.

Connecting those services lets the tools draw on a person's own content to produce tailored answers. Under the revised terms, Google says the same sharing can also be used to target ads at that user. The policy explains that users may allow certain Google services, including Search or Gemini Apps, to reach data from other Google products such as Photos and Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive, to provide "a more personalized experience, subject to the policies and settings of the accessing service." Google gives an example in which Search processes permitted data to personalize content, including ads.

Google has outlined limits on what advertisers receive. Advertisers do not get direct access to the information in a user's Drive, Gmail or Photos, nor do they receive personally identifying details such as a name or email address. Google also says it will not show ads based on sensitive categories, including race, sexual orientation, religion or health.

The policy also describes how ad personalization works more generally: "Depending on your settings, we may also show you personalized ads based on your interests, activity, or personalized content from Google services." As an example, someone who searches for "mountain bikes" in Search might later see ads for sports equipment on YouTube.

Users who want to keep personal data out of ad targeting can pick which apps to disconnect from Search's Personal Intelligence features, or switch off Personalized Recommendations through the Search Services Personalization settings page.