Google has introduced “Personal Intelligence,” a new beta option in the Gemini app designed to make responses more tailored by letting Gemini connect to a user’s Google apps with permission. The feature is rolling out in the U.S. for eligible Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers, and it’s turned off by default.
Personal Intelligence aims to help Gemini reason across information from connected sources instead of relying only on what a user types into a single chat. Google says users can choose which apps to connect and can turn the feature off at any time.
What Personal Intelligence does
Google says Personal Intelligence can securely connect Gemini with apps such as Gmail and Google Photos to make the assistant more helpful for everyday tasks. In Google’s description, the feature can also connect YouTube and Search “in a single tap” as part of a simple setup flow.
Android Authority describes the change as a “memory upgrade” that lets Gemini bring information together across services rather than pulling a single email or photo only when asked. The outlet says Google’s approach selectively surfaces the most relevant information when needed, instead of trying to load everything into the model at once.
Examples Google shared
In Google’s blog post, Gemini app Vice President Josh Woodward describes asking Gemini for tire options while standing in line at a shop because he didn’t know the tire size for a 2019 Honda minivan. In that example, Gemini referenced family road trips found in Google Photos, then pulled ratings and prices for different tire options.
Woodward also describes asking Gemini for the vehicle’s license plate number and says Gemini pulled the number from a picture in Google Photos and helped identify the minivan’s trim by searching Gmail. Google also says the same personalization can help with recommendations for books, shows, clothes, and travel, including planning spring break by analyzing interests and past trips in Gmail and Photos.
What data it can use
Google says Personal Intelligence works by connecting information from linked apps to answer specific requests, and it describes the setup as simple and secure. Google and The Economic Times both describe the connected experience spanning Gmail, YouTube, Google Photos, and Search.
Gizmodo reports that, in addition to pulling from past Gemini conversations, Personal Intelligence can reach into a wider set of Google ecosystem activity and history if a user opts in. Gizmodo specifically says Google describes access that can include Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Drive content, along with Google Photos, plus YouTube watch history and Google Search history.
Gizmodo also says the feature may parse activity across other Google services such as Shopping, News, Maps, Google Flights, Hotels, and more, while allowing users to disconnect certain services and delete history as needed. Google’s blog post, however, describes connected apps as Gmail, Photos, YouTube, and Search, and does not list Calendar, Drive, or other services in the same way.
Privacy controls and limits
Google says it built Personal Intelligence with privacy “at the center,” keeping it off by default and giving users control over which apps to connect. Google also says Gemini will try to reference or explain what information it used from connected sources so people can verify answers.
Google says Gemini does not train directly on a user’s Gmail inbox or Google Photos library when Personal Intelligence is enabled. Instead, Google says connected data is referenced to answer a request, while training to improve functionality uses limited information such as prompts and the model’s responses, after steps meant to filter or obfuscate personal data from the conversation.
Google warns that the beta may still make mistakes, including inaccurate responses or “over-personalization,” where it connects unrelated topics. Google also says Gemini may struggle with timing or nuance in some cases, such as not understanding changes in relationships, and it encourages feedback through “thumbs down” ratings when issues appear.
Rollout and availability
Google says Personal Intelligence is launching as a beta in the U.S., with access rolling out over the next week to eligible Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. The Economic Times similarly reports the beta is being made available to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S., and says expansion to more countries and the free tier may come in the next few months.
Google says that once enabled, Personal Intelligence works across web, Android, and iOS, and it works with all models available in the Gemini model picker. Google also says the feature is available for personal Google accounts and not for Workspace business, enterprise, or education users.
Google and other outlets say the feature is also expected to come to Search’s AI Mode soon. Android Authority adds that, for now, the rollout is focused on the U.S. and will expand later.
