Google Search AI Mode can use Gmail and Photos to get to know you | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAICESHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Google Search AI Mode can use Gmail and Photos to get to know youComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...NewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AITechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechGoogle Search AI Mode can use Gmail and Photos to get to know youThe opt-in Personal Intelligence update aims to automatically tailor AI Mode responses to your interests.The opt-in Personal Intelligence update aims to automatically tailor AI Mode responses to your interests.by Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedJan 22, 2026, 4:00 PM UTCLinkShareGiftPersonal Intelligence can tap into your Gmail inbox to check for bookings and purchase receipts. Image: GoogleJess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess Weatherbed is a news writer focused on creative industries, computing, and internet culture. Jess started her career at TechRadar, covering news and hardware reviews.Google is helping AI Mode to provide more personalized responses in Search by allowing the chatbot to analyze your Gmail and Google Photos accounts. After launching for Gemini AI last week, “Personal Intelligence” is now coming to tailor AI Mode search results to your interests and daily life by gathering information from your emails and photos, instead of requiring you to manually create and adjust your preferences.For example, Google says Personal Intelligence allows AI Mode to suggest travel itineraries by referencing hotel bookings in your Gmail and holiday snaps in Photos. If you take a lot of selfies with ice cream, then it could curate recommendations for ice cream parlors. When using AI Mode to shop online, it can prioritize products from brands you wear or have purchased before.RelatedWhy Google Gemini looks poised to win the AI raceEligible Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers can opt in to the Gmail and Google Photos connections for AI Mode starting today. The update is rolling out in the US as a feature in Google Labs and is only available for personal Google accounts. This rollout follows Personal Intelligence being introduced to Gemini AI, which can also tap into Search and YouTube history alongside Gmail and Photos.“Built with privacy in mind, AI Mode uses our most intelligent model, Gemini 3, and doesn’t train directly on your Gmail inbox or Google Photos library,” Google Search VP Robby Stein said in the announcement. “Training is contained to limited info, like specific prompts in AI Mode and the model’s responses, to improve functionality over time.”Stein says that while Personal Intelligence can be helpful, internal testing shows that “mistakes can happen.” AI Mode users can correct any unsuitable recommendations and provide feedback by giving a follow-up response or giving it a “thumbs down.”Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Jess WeatherbedCloseJess WeatherbedNews ReporterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Jess WeatherbedAICloseAIPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All AIGoogleCloseGooglePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GoogleNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsTechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechMost PopularMost PopularWhat a Sony and TCL partnership means for the future of TVsVolvo aims for an EV reset with the new EX60 crossoverEveryone can hear your TV in their headphones using this transmitterHow much can a city take?Anthropic’s new Claude ‘constitution’: be helpful and honest, and don’t destroy humanityThe Verge DailyA free daily digest of the news that matters most.Email (required)Sign UpBy submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice. 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Google is implementing a new feature called “Personal Intelligence” for its AI Search mode, designed to provide more tailored and relevant responses. This update leverages data from users’ Gmail and Google Photos accounts to refine the AI’s understanding of individual interests and daily life. Instead of relying solely on explicit user prompts, Personal Intelligence analyzes existing information within these accounts to generate more informed suggestions. For example, the system can identify travel plans from hotel bookings in Gmail and tourist photos in Google Photos, potentially recommending local itineraries. Furthermore, the AI can identify purchasing patterns—such as repeated buys of certain brands—to offer targeted product recommendations during online shopping. The core of the functionality rests on Google’s Gemini 3 AI model, which receives limited, contextual training data from AI Mode interactions rather than entire user accounts. Users can correct inaccurate recommendations or provide feedback through follow-up responses, facilitating continuous model improvement. This layered approach—combining data analysis with user interaction—aims to deliver a significantly more personalized Search experience, while acknowledging and mitigating potential inaccuracies with user-provided corrections.