Danny Weber
19:31 24-11-2025
© B. Naumkin
Google denies using Gmail to train Gemini after a viral claim. We explain Smart Features, the lawsuit, privacy concerns, and a new Pixel 10 file-sharing perk.
Google is facing a fresh wave of scrutiny after claims spread online that the company is using Gmail contents to train its AI models. The spark was a Malwarebytes blog post asserting that Google had changed its policy, stoking fears that messages, attachments, and personal data might quietly feed Gemini training.
The company moved quickly to respond. In comments to The Verge, spokesperson Jenny Thomson said the claims misled people. She maintained that Google had not altered settings, that Gmail’s Smart Features have existed for years, and that they are not connected to training Gemini. She also emphasized that email content is not used to train global AI models.
By then, the backlash was already building. Social platforms filled with screenshots showing Smart Features — such as text autocomplete, automatic flight detection, and inbox sorting — enabled by default. Some users said the features switched back on even after they had turned them off, which only intensified the mood.
Much of the confusion stems from how these tools actually operate. Smart Features do analyze Gmail data, but they do so locally for personalization rather than for training global AI systems. Google insists that tailoring services to an individual and training broad models are entirely different processes.
That distinction has not soothed everyone. A recent class-action lawsuit accuses Google of giving Gemini access to Gmail, Chat, and Meet. The company denies the allegation, yet the tension refuses to fade.
The timing is awkward for Google, as it is actively promoting Gemini 3, its most powerful AI model. The deeper artificial intelligence integrates into everyday services, the more closely people scrutinize privacy controls and the more pointed their questions become. In this climate, even familiar toggles can start to look suspect.
Meanwhile, Google unveiled another convenience: Pixel 10 users can now send files directly to iPhone, iPad, and Mac, quickly and without extra setup.