Imagine your chatbot knowing more about you than you tell it—that is now a reality thanks to a new feature from Google. The company has announced the launch of a feature called Personal Intelligence in the Gemini app. This new feature allows the chatbot to draw information from your other Google apps, such as Gmail, YouTube, Search, or Photos, to provide answers tailored specifically to you. For now, it is only available in beta and is accessible to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the US. Users must enable the feature themselves in Gemini's settings.
Josh Woodward, vice president of Google Labs and the Gemini app, shared examples of how it works in practice. When he needed to buy new tires for his car, he asked Gemini for advice but did not specify the model of the vehicle or how he uses it. The chatbot searched his emails and photos on its own, found details such as the car model, tire size, and previous trips, and suggested suitable tires, including prices. In another case, it analyzed his family's interests and previous trips from Gmail and Photos to create a spring break itinerary.
What Will Personalization Offer?
Personal Intelligence connects data that Google already has, so it does not need to send information elsewhere. For example, the chatbot can link an email conversation to a video you watched or find details in your photo gallery without you telling it where to look. Google emphasizes that the data remains secure with the company. It does not train Gemini models directly on your Gmail or Google Photos library. Instead, it uses limited information, such as specific queries in Gemini and the model's responses, to improve the feature in real time. If personal data, such as a car's license plate number, appears in a response, Google anonymizes it before using it for training.
This new feature directly competes with Apple Intelligence, Apple's personal AI system that integrates apps for writing, image creation, and contextual understanding. Apple planned a similar feature for Siri in 2024, but it did not materialize. The company is facing lawsuits and has replaced its AI chief, and is now targeting spring 2026. Interestingly, Apple has partnered with Google to power Siri with the Gemini model. When Siri's contextual understanding finally arrives, could it actually be Personal Intelligence in disguise?
Expansion Plans
Google plans to expand Personal Intelligence to the AI Mode tool in Search as well. The feature is currently only available for personal accounts and in the US, but the company promises that it will also become available in other parts of the world.
Imagine how this could help in everyday situations. If you are planning a vacation, the chatbot will search through your previous trips in Photos and reservation emails to suggest the ideal itinerary. Or when shopping—as in Josh Woodward's tire example—it will find your vehicle's specifications in photos and emails without requiring you to search manually. Google emphasizes that all data remains securely stored and is not shared elsewhere.
This feature will make Gemini a smarter assistant that understands your context without unnecessary explanations.
Source: cnbc.com
