TipGoogle may use Gmail and Photos for ads if you connect them to AI: what it means in the Nordics
Google has changed its privacy policy. If you let Google’s AI feature Personal Intelligence read Gmail, Drive or Google Photos, what you share can now also affect which ads you see. In Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland the feature cannot be switched on yet, but here is how it works, and how to stay in control before it arrives.
Since 16 October 2026 a new version of Google’s privacy policy applies. Before, it simply said that Google does not show personalised ads based on your content in Drive, Gmail or Google Photos. Now the sentence has an addition: unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalised ads. The change was spotted by Android Authority and The Verge on 23 October.
The background is Personal Intelligence, Google’s feature for personal AI answers. You can connect Gmail and Google Photos to Google Search, so that AI Mode in Search and Ask Maps in Google Maps can use, for example, a hotel booking in your email when you ask for restaurant tips. The Gemini app has a similar feature. Everything is optional: nothing is connected unless you switch it on yourself.
What does it mean for ads? According to Google’s help page, ads are not based directly on your inbox or your photo library. But if you connect the apps, Search can use summaries, excerpts and inferences from them to tailor its answers, and the same information may be used to show you ads. Google says advertisers do not get your name or email address, and that ads are not personalised on sensitive categories such as health, religion or sexual orientation.
Two more things are worth knowing. If you connect the apps, Google may use summaries and excerpts from them to train its AI models, and some of the data may be reviewed by people. And if you disconnect an app, what has already been saved in the history of Google’s Search services is not deleted. You manage that history separately at activity.google.com.
The situation in the Nordics: connecting Gmail and Photos to Search is currently only available in the countries Google lists, and Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and the rest of the EU and EEA are missing. Personal Intelligence in Gemini is rolling out everywhere except the EEA, Switzerland, the UK and Nigeria. Google has not given a date for Europe on its pages. The policy is still the same for everyone, so it is good to understand the terms before the feature shows up here.
How to get started
- Remember that it is optional: Gmail, Drive and Photos are not used for ads unless you connect them to a service with personalised ads yourself.
- Review your ad settings in My Ad Center (myadcenter.google.com). That is where you choose whether personalised ads are on.
- In the Gemini app, check under Settings, Connected Apps which apps Gemini may use, and disconnect what you do not need.
- Consider clearing old search history at activity.google.com. Disconnecting an app does not delete what is already saved.
- When the feature reaches the Nordics: read what you agree to before you connect Gmail or Photos. Our prompt Which apps can my AI read? helps you go through your connections.
More on TipAI
Sources
- Google Privacy Policy (gäller från 16 oktober 2026): Provide personalized services, including content and ads (retrieved 2026-10-25)
- Google Privacy Policy, arkiverad version 1 oktober 2026 (före ändringen) (retrieved 2026-10-25)
- Google Search Help: Connect your Google content apps to get a Search services experience that's tailored to you (länder, träning, annonser) (retrieved 2026-10-25)
- Google: Personal Intelligence from Gemini (tillgänglighet: inte i EES, Schweiz, Storbritannien och Nigeria) (retrieved 2026-10-25)
- Android Authority: Google makes a privacy policy exception to use your Gmail and Photos data for ads (23 okt 2026) (retrieved 2026-10-25)
- The Verge: Now Google says it might use your Gmail and Google Photos data to target ads (23 okt 2026) (retrieved 2026-10-25)
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