Google Privacy Policy Change: AI Mode Now Links Personal Files to Ad Targeting

Google updated its privacy terms on October 16 to allow data from Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos to influence personalized advertising. This change applies specifically to users who have enabled the Personal Intelligence feature, which connects these private services to AI Mode and other Search tools.

The revision modifies a long-standing company pledge not to use data from those three services for ads. The policy now includes a qualifier stating the commitment holds unless users choose to make that data available to other Google services that support personalized ads.

The practical effect is that when a user links their personal files to AI features for better recommendations, the same data sharing now permits ad targeting based on that content. Google clarified that this does not apply to users who have not connected these services via Personal Intelligence.

The company set specific limits on how advertisers use this information. Advertisers do not receive direct access to the contents of a user's Drive, Gmail, or Photos, nor do they receive personally identifying details like names or email addresses. Google also stated it will not show ads based on sensitive categories such as race, sexual orientation, religion, or health.

The policy text explains that services like Search or Gemini Apps may reach data from other products to provide a more personalized experience. An example in the document notes that Search may process permitted data to personalize content, including ads. It illustrates the mechanism by citing a user who searches for mountain bikes and later sees ads for sports equipment on YouTube.

Users who prefer to keep their personal data separate from ad targeting can adjust their settings. They can select which apps to disconnect from Search's Personal Intelligence features or turn off Personalized Recommendations entirely through the Search Services Personalization settings page.