Is Gemini AI reading your Gmail inbox? Google's answer is a firm "no" — your private data isn't used for training

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Google isn't using Gmail to train Gemini AI on your emails.

CANADA - 2025/02/03: In this photo illustration, the Google Gemini AI logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Shutterstock | LightRocket)
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Google has been making waves in the generative AI world following the successful launch of its Gemini 3 model, earmarking a new era of intelligence. The model ships with sophisticated reasoning, speed, images, and video capabilities. Gemini 3 is even giving OpenAI's ChatGPT a run for its money, with CEO Sam Altman and Tesla CEO Elon Musk applauding Google for the successful launch.

But Google quickly issued a statement, indicating that the user misunderstood Gmail's Smart Features, which ultimately caused confusion. However, the outlet has since retracted the claim in its original report, admitting that it had misconstrued the whole thing.

According to Malwarebytes: "We’ve updated this article after realising we contributed to a perfect storm of misunderstanding around a recent change in the wording and placement of Gmail’s smart features."

While speaking to The Verge, a Google spokesperson issued the following statement about the issue: “These reports are misleading—we have not changed anyone’s settings, Gmail Smart Features have existed for many years, and we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.”

It appears that Google's wording about the feature's capability contributed to the misinterpretation, causing a large number of people to think that the company is using Gmail's content to train its AI models.

Google uses the Smart Features tool in Gmail to scan emails for spam filtering, categorization, and writing suggestions. What's more, the feature is an opt-in experience by default, meaning that users have full control over it and can decide whether or not they want to let it access their data.

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Kevin Okemwa
Kevin Okemwa
Contributor

Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.

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