Google Gemini can now search your emails and photos for better answers

Google is testing a major upgrade for its Gemini chatbot that could finally make it useful for daily life rather than just creative writing. According to a PCMag report, Google is testing a new "Personal Intelligence" feature that allows the AI to access data from your other Google apps to provide context-aware answers.

This move aims to bridge the gap between a generic chatbot and a true personal assistant, allowing Gemini to find specific information buried in your emails or photo library. While the feature promises convenience, it raises immediate questions about privacy and data security for users in the UAE and beyond.

How Personal Intelligence works

The core idea is simple: Gemini stops being a stranger and starts using the data you've already given Google. Instead of just answering general knowledge questions, it can pull from your personal digital history to solve specific problems.

For example, if you need to buy tires for your car, you typically have to tell a chatbot the make, model, and year. With Personal Intelligence, Gemini can search your Gmail for purchase receipts or scan your Google Photos to identify your car, then recommend the correct tires immediately. It can also plan trips by looking at your past travel history in Search and YouTube.

Currently, the integration covers Gmail, YouTube, Search, and Photos. Google plans to expand this to Calendar, Drive, and other Workspace apps soon. This level of integration is becoming standard across the tech industry, similar to the hardware-software push we saw in Dell's CES lineup earlier this year.

The privacy question

Allowing an AI to read your emails sounds daunting, but Google has built this as an opt-in system. You must explicitly enable "Personal Intelligence" in the settings and select which apps Gemini can access. If you don't want it reading your emails but are fine with it checking YouTube history, you can toggle them individually.

Regarding data security, Google claims that because your data already lives on their servers, it isn't sent externally. Furthermore, the company states that Gemini isn't trained "directly" on your personal content. If the AI uses your data to generate a response, that conversation is reportedly obfuscated (stripped of personal details) before being used for future training.

However, AI is not infallible. Google warns that the system might struggle with nuances or timing, a common trend we've seen with AI verification systems on other platforms recently. Users should verify any critical information Gemini pulls from their personal history.

Google Gemini price in UAE and availability

The Personal Intelligence feature is currently in beta for Google AI Premium subscribers in the US. While a specific UAE launch date hasn't been confirmed, Google typically rolls out these software features globally after the initial US testing phase.

To use this feature when it arrives, you will likely need the Google One AI Premium plan. Here is the current pricing for that tier in the UAE:

• Monthly: Dhs 79.99
• Yearly: Dhs 799.99

This plan includes 2TB of storage and access to Gemini Advanced. We expect the Personal Intelligence feature to be added to this subscription tier at no extra cost once it clears the beta phase.

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