Millions of Gmail users have received an ‘important’ alert raising concerns about Google’s new AI features scanning emails for smart functions like contextual replies and email summaries. The alert, issued by TV personality and entrepreneur Lori Greiner on Instagram, urges users to take action to protect their privacy.
Despite Google’s assurance that personal data is not used for its benefit, Greiner’s warning highlights the potential privacy risks of AI scanning all types of emails, including sensitive financial and personal information. To opt out of this feature, users can easily disable it in Gmail settings within 30 seconds.
To deactivate AI in Gmail, follow these steps:
1. Go to Settings and select “see all settings.”
2. Scroll down to find “Smart features.”
3. Turn off smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet to stop Google from scanning messages.
4. Additionally, click “Manage Workspace Smart Features” and uncheck boxes to further limit data usage for AI.
Google emphasizes that personal data is secure and never accessed by its team or third parties. The tech giant clarifies that AI models like Gemini are only used for specific tasks, such as summarizing emails, and do not retain or misuse personal data.
Despite Google’s reassurances, users concerned about privacy can choose to disable the smart features in Gmail.