Google can now use your Gmail, Drive and Photos content for personalized ads if you've connected those apps to its Personal Intelligence feature.

Personal Intelligence is Google's opt-in feature that lets Gemini and AI Mode in Search draw on your own Google apps to give more personal answers. A privacy policy update dated Oct 16 adds a new exception: Google still doesn't show "personalized ads based on your content from Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos, unless you choose to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads" (Google Privacy Policy).

The Verge reports that connecting those apps to Personal Intelligence counts as making them available, and that Google says advertisers don't get your content or identifying details and that it won't show ads based on sensitive categories (The Verge). Android Authority notes that nothing is used for ads unless you've connected the apps, but that turning it off later may leave data already saved in your Search history (Android Authority).

Try it: in your Google Account, open Data & privacy, then Personalization settings, then Manage Personalized Recommendations in Search Services. Under Connected Content apps (Additional Personal Intelligence), disconnect Google Workspace and Google Photos if you'd rather keep them out of ads, or turn Personalized Recommendations off entirely.