Google Denies Claims It’s Using Your Gmail to Train Gemini AI
Google is pushing back hard against recent viral reports claiming it’s mining Gmail emails and attachments to train its Gemini AI. According to Google, these reports are misleading it says it does not use users’ Gmail content for training its Gemini model.
What Sparked the Controversy
The drama began after a post by Malwarebytes raised alarms that Gmail users were being automatically opted in for data collection. The post suggested that unless users turned off “Smart Features” in two separate Gmail settings, Google could access their messages and attachments for AI training.
Google’s Response
In a statement shared with The Verge, Google clarified:
- It has not changed anyone’s settings.
- Gmail’s “Smart Features” have been around for years they power things like smart replies, predictive text, and calendar integrations, not AI model training.
- Google does not use your Gmail content to train its Gemini AI models.
It claims to be “always transparent” when it makes changes to its policies.
Why People Panicked
The confusion seems to stem largely from a change Google made in January:
- it split its “smart features” control into two separate toggles — one for Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Calendar) and another for other Google products (Maps, Wallet, etc.).
- That, combined with vague language and social media posts, made many believe Google was doing something more sinister than simply offering personalization features.
What These Smart Features Actually Do
According to Google:
- They scan email content to enable personalization like automatically detecting flight or event details, smart replies, or grammar suggestions.
- This processing is “local” (for your account experience) — not for feeding AI-training systems.
But There’s Still Caution
- Some users say their Smart Features setting got re-enabled after they had turned it off.
- Even though Google denies using Gmail for Gemini model training, privacy-conscious users are understandably still uneasy.
What You Can Do
- Go into Gmail Settings → Smart features & personalization to review or disable these features.
- In your Google Account, check the “Data & Privacy” section to manage how your data is used.
If you’re very uneasy, consider switching to a more privacy-focused email provider for sensitive communication.
