Is Gemini Reading Your Emails? Here Is How to Opt Out

Gemini and Your Privacy

In the era of artificial intelligence, tech giants are working to integrate AI into almost every application. Google is no exception, having embedded its powerful model, Gemini, into Gmail and other Workspace services. Today, Gemini can summarise your emails, draft responses, and create to-do lists. However, for some users, this innovation raises concerns: how safe is it to "share" your private correspondence with algorithms?

Does Google Use Your Emails for Training?

According to the company's official stance, Gemini does not use your private emails to train its foundational models. When the AI summarises an email or writes a response, the process is local, and the data is deleted as soon as the request is fulfilled. However, there is an important caveat: if you connect Google Workspace services with Google Search, the situation changes. In this case, the system can use insights or summaries derived from your files and emails to improve services, which effectively amounts to training the models.

How to Disable Gemini's Access

If you want full control over your data, you can disable "Smart features." Please note that this may also disable automatic spell checking.

In a Web Browser:

1. Open Gmail, click the Settings icon, and select "See all settings."
2. In the "General" tab, find "Smart features" and select "Off."
3. Then, go to the "Google Workspace smart features" section, click "Manage Workspace smart feature settings," turn off all options, and save your changes.

In the Mobile App:

1. Tap the menu (three lines) and select "Settings."
2. Select your email address.
3. Turn off the "Smart features" and "Google Workspace smart features" functions.

Alternative Method: Data Management

If you do not want to completely give up AI features but wish to limit Google's use of your data, you can adjust your "Search Services History." To do this, visit your Google Account, go to the "Data & privacy" section, and select "Personalization settings." Here, you can turn off personalised recommendations and delete previously saved activities.

Ultimately, Google presents users with a choice: enjoy the productivity offered by AI or maintain maximum data privacy. For users who actively use the Google ecosystem, it is recommended to review these settings so you know exactly what you are consenting to.