Google AI Mode Can Now Use Gmail, Photos to Personalize Search Results

Google is giving its AI-powered search a memory boost. The company says its AI Mode can now draw on users’ Gmail and Google Photos to deliver answers that feel far more personal.

In a blog post published Thursday, Google announced it is expanding a feature called Personal Intelligence to AI Mode in Google Search. The update allows AI Mode to securely connect with Gmail and Google Photos, giving the system more context about a user’s plans, habits, and preferences.

“Personal Intelligence transforms Search into an experience that feels uniquely yours by connecting the dots across your Google apps,” Robby Stein, VP of Product, Google Search, wrote on the Google blog.

How Personal Intelligence works

Once enabled, AI Mode can reference information already stored in a user’s Google apps to shape its answers. That could include travel bookings found in Gmail or past experiences captured in Google Photos.

According to Google, the goal is to reduce the need for users to repeatedly explain context when searching. Instead of offering generic results, AI Mode aims to provide a more tailored starting point.“With Personal Intelligence, recommendations don’t just match your interests — they fit seamlessly into your life,” Stein said in the blog post.

Image: Screenshot via Google/YouTube

Google shared several examples of how the feature might be used. When shopping, AI Mode can consider the brands a user prefers and upcoming trips found in Gmail to suggest items that match both style and destination.

Stein offered a personal example in the blog, writing: “I was looking for a new pair of sneakers, and AI Mode noticed a brand I’d just bought and suggested a new style I hadn’t seen yet. The recommendation was spot on — I bought them instantly!”

For travel planning, AI Mode can look at hotel bookings and past trip photos to suggest activities and places to eat that suit the whole family. Google says this could mean recommending kid-friendly museums or familiar food spots based on photo history, rather than listing standard tourist options.

User control and privacy

Google stressed that Personal Intelligence is strictly opt-in. Users can choose whether to connect Gmail and Photos and can turn the feature off at any time.

The company also said AI Mode does not directly train its models on users’ emails or photo libraries. Instead, it may use limited data, such as prompts and responses, to improve the feature’s performance over time.

Still, Google acknowledged that the system is not perfect. Stein noted in the blog that AI Mode can sometimes misunderstand context, and users are encouraged to correct responses or provide feedback using a “thumbs-down” option.

Who gets access first?

Personal Intelligence in AI Mode is rolling out gradually over the next few days. Eligible Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers in the US, in English, will receive invitations automatically, or they can enable them manually in Search settings.

If you’re eligible, you can activate it by going to your Search profile, selecting “Search personalization,” then “Connected Content Apps,” and toggling on the connections.

Google says the feature is not available for Workspace, enterprise, or education accounts.

To see how this fits into Google’s broader AI push, read eWeek’s breakdown of the company’s recent talent raid tied to emotional voice AI startup Hume.