**Google** has revised its privacy policy to clarify that using personalized artificial intelligence (AI) features in **Search** or **Gemini** could enable the company to serve targeted ads based on user activity across other connected Google services. ### The Policy Shift: What's Changing? The updated policy, set to take effect on October 16, 2026, states: "You may choose to allow certain Google services, including services like Search or **Gemini Apps**, to access data from other Google services you use, such as Google Photos and Workspace apps like Gmail and Drive, in order to provide you with a more personalized experience, subject to the policies and settings of the accessing service." It further specifies, "For example, Search may process some of the data that you allow Search to access to personalize content, including ads." Google emphasizes that, by default, it does not show personalized ads based on content from Drive, Gmail, or Google Photos. However, this stipulation changes if users opt to share photos or emails with **AI Mode** and other Search tools via the **Personal Intelligence** feature. ### Personal Intelligence and Ad Personalization **Personal Intelligence**, unveiled by Google in Gemini in January 2026, allows users to connect services like Gmail, Google Photos, and **YouTube** to receive tailored answers, combining their chat history preferences with information from these linked services. The feature is currently in beta, rolling out to eligible users over 18 globally, excluding the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the U.K., and Nigeria. The critical takeaway is that if users engage with AI Mode or Gemini while Personal Intelligence is enabled, the data informing those AI-generated answers (e.g., content from Gmail or Photos) could be utilized as a signal for targeted advertising. The revised privacy policy aims to make this potential privacy trade-off explicit. ### User Control and Opt-Out Options Users should be acutely aware of the privacy implications when connecting their personal applications to enable AI features. For those who prefer to opt out, options are available through the **Search Services Personalization** settings (`www.google.com/search-personalization`). Here, users can disconnect specific apps from Personal Intelligence or disable personalized recommendations entirely. ### OpenAI's Advertising Model In a related development, **OpenAI** began showing ads to logged-in adult U.S. users in both the free and **ChatGPT Go** tiers in January 2026. The company stressed that user data and conversations are protected and not sold to advertisers, and that ads do not influence chatbot responses. OpenAI has since expanded **ChatGPT** advertising to 26 additional countries, bringing the total to 89 markets across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. OpenAI reiterates its commitment to user privacy, stating, "We keep conversations private from advertisers and do not sell customer data." It also clarifies that "Ads in ChatGPT are clearly labeled and separate from ChatGPT's answers, and advertising does not influence the answers ChatGPT provides." This trend underscores a broader industry movement where AI-driven services are exploring various monetization strategies, often balancing personalized user experiences with privacy considerations.