Google still promises no Gmail ads by default, but AI features change the deal

Google updated its privacy policy to allow personal information from Gmail, Google Photos, and Drive to potentially be used for targeted advertising. The change took effect on October 16 and was first spotted by Android Authority.

The update introduces an exception to Google's previous promise that it would not use content from these services to personalize advertisements. Google still says it will not use Gmail, Drive, or Google Photos content for targeted advertising by default. The exception applies to users who connect personal information to Google's AI-powered services, including Search and Gemini.

That distinction matters. The default protection remains on paper.

The policy change lands alongside a separate expansion. Google has widened how it uses personal data to train AI models, covering search queries, email interactions, and activity across its ecosystem. Users can opt out of that use. The two changes are not the same policy, but they point in the same direction: more of what users put into Google's services can now feed either advertising or AI development, depending on which features they use.

Google has also updated policies to address AI manipulation after a BBC investigation. And a study found that GOP fundraising emails were aggressively labeled spam by Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo, costing an estimated $117 million in donations. Those are separate matters, but they sit in the same file: Google's filters and policies shape what billions of people see, send, and receive.

What remains unknown is the exact wording of the new clause and which specific AI features trigger the exception.

Google tracks users by default and offers settings to limit data collection, including Personalized ads settings. The gap between a stated default and a written exception is where users now have to look.