Google denies ‘misleading’ reports of Gmail using your emails to train AI
In response to recent viral claims regarding changes to its Gmail policies, Google is clarifying its stance on how user data is utilized, particularly in relation to AI training. Reports, including one from Malwarebytes, suggested that Google had modified its practices to incorporate user emails and attachments for training its Gemini AI model, with the only way to opt out being the disabling of “smart features” like spell checking. However, Google spokesperson Jenny Thomson emphasized to The Verge that these assertions are misleading, reiterating that there have been no changes to user settings and that Gmail’s Smart Features have been in place for many years. Importantly, she stated that the content of users’ emails is not used for training the company’s AI models.
Despite Google’s reassurances, users are encouraged to verify their settings, as some may find they have been automatically re-enrolled in smart features they previously opted out of. A staff member from The Verge reported that after opting out, they were unexpectedly reverted back to having smart features enabled. This situation stems from a January update where Google revised its personalization settings, allowing users to manage smart features across different Google products, such as Google Workspace, Maps, and Wallet, independently. While enabling these features can enhance the user experience—offering conveniences like order tracking and calendar integration—Google maintains that this does not equate to sharing email contents for AI training purposes. The settings page clearly states that agreeing to use smart features means allowing Google to personalize the Workspace experience, but Thomson reassures that user content remains private and secure.
This clarification from Google highlights the ongoing conversation about data privacy and user consent in the digital age. As AI technologies continue to evolve, understanding how personal data is utilized becomes increasingly crucial for users. While Google aims to enhance user experience through smart features, it’s essential for individuals to stay informed about their privacy settings and the implications of their choices in a landscape where data usage is often a topic of concern.
Google is pushing back on
viral social media posts
and articles like
this one by
Malwarebytes
,
claiming Google has changed its policy to use your Gmail messages and attachments to train AI models, and the only way to opt out is by disabling “smart features” like spell checking.
But Google spokesperson Jenny Thomson tells
The Verge
that “these reports are misleading – we have not changed anyone’s settings, Gmail Smart Features have existed for many years, and we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.”
You may want to double-check your settings anyway, as one
Verge
staffer also says they had opted out of some of the Smart Features, but had been opted back in to having them on. In January,
Google updated
its smart feature personalization settings so that you could turn the features for Google Workspace and for other Google products (like Maps and Wallet) independently of each other.
In addition to things like spell checking, having Gmail’s smart features turned on enables
features like
tracking orders or easily adding flights from Gmail to your calendar. Enabling the feature in Workspace says that “you agree to let Google Workspace use your Workspace content and activity to personalize your experience across Workspace,” according to the settings page, but according to Google, that does not mean handing over the content of your emails to use for AI training.
