Google says it's off by default — until you switch on its AI features

The policy does not use Gmail, Drive, or Photos content for ad targeting by default — the exception only bites when users opt to share photos or emails with AI Mode and other Search tools through Personal Intelligence, which Google unveiled in January 2026 and is rolling out as a beta to users over 18, except in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the U.K., and Nigeria.

Anyone who wants out can disconnect the apps they connected to Personal Intelligence, or disable Personalized Recommendations entirely in Search's personalization settings. The trade-off is the point: the same connected data that makes the AI's answers more personal can now also shape which ads follow you.