Google Introduces Personal Intelligence in AI Mode for Search

Google has expanded its AI-powered Search experience by introducing Personal Intelligence in AI Mode, following the feature’s earlier rollout in Gemini earlier this month. With this update, Google aims to make Search more contextual, adaptive, and personalised by allowing AI Mode to draw insights from a user’s connected Google apps.

According to Google, Personal Intelligence enables users to “tap into your context from Gmail and Photos to deliver tailored responses in Search, just for you.” The company says this approach is designed to provide responses that better reflect a user’s real-world activities, preferences, and plans.

What Is Personal Intelligence in Google Search AI Mode?

Personal Intelligence in AI Mode is built to go beyond traditional interest-based recommendations. Instead of relying only on general browsing behaviour, the feature factors in personal context, including:

• Bookings stored in Gmail

• Past purchases

• Travel confirmations

• Visual memories from Google Photos

Once enabled, AI Mode can reference relevant details from these connected apps to generate responses that feel more relevant and personalised to each user.

How Personal Intelligence in AI Mode in Search Works

Using Personal Context for Smarter Responses

Google explains that Personal Intelligence allows AI Mode to align answers with a user’s habits, preferences, and upcoming plans. This means Search results can feel more proactive and situational, rather than generic.

For example:

• While planning travel, AI Mode may reference hotel confirmations from Gmail and previous travel photos from Google Photos to suggest a family-friendly itinerary.

• During shopping searches, AI Mode can consider preferred brands, previous purchases, and upcoming travel details to recommend items suited to the destination and season.

Use Cases: Travel, Shopping, and Everyday Planning

Personalised Travel Suggestions

AI Mode can assist with itinerary planning by connecting travel emails, bookings, and photo memories, helping users plan trips that reflect their past travel experiences and current needs.

Smarter Shopping Recommendations

When shopping, AI Mode can factor in personal buying patterns, brand preferences, and travel timelines to surface more relevant product suggestions.

Creative and Exploratory Search Queries

Beyond practical use cases, Google says Personal Intelligence also supports more creative and exploratory searches. Users can ask questions that go beyond traditional search prompts.

As Google puts it:

“You can even ask fun questions that you never imagined searching for — like ‘if my life were a movie, what would the title and movie genre be,’ or ‘describe my perfect day,’”

This opens up AI Mode to more expressive, personalised interactions that feel closer to a conversational assistant than a standard search engine.

Privacy, Data Usage, and User Control

Opt-In Feature With Full User Control

Google emphasises that Personal Intelligence in AI Mode is strictly opt-in. Users have complete control over whether Gmail and Google Photos are connected and can enable or disable these connections at any time via Search settings.

No Direct Training on Personal Content

The company states that AI Mode uses its Gemini 3 model, but it does not directly train on the contents of a user’s Gmail inbox or Google Photos library. Instead, limited data such as prompts and AI responses may be used to improve the system over time.

Limitations and Accuracy Considerations

Google acknowledges that Personal Intelligence in AI Mode in Search is still experimental. As a result, the system may occasionally:

• Make incorrect connections

• Misinterpret personal context

Users can improve accuracy by refining results through follow-up prompts or submitting feedback directly within AI Mode.

Availability and Rollout Details

Who Can Access the Feature Right Now?

The ability to connect AI Mode with Gmail and Google Photos in Search is rolling out gradually as a Labs feature. It is currently:

• Available in English

• Limited to eligible Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers

• Rolling out in the U.S.

• Restricted to personal Google accounts

The feature is not available for Workspace business, enterprise, or education users.

Users who do not see the prompt automatically can enable the feature manually through Search personalisation settings.

Why Personal Intelligence Matters for Google Search

With this update, Google is positioning AI Mode as a more context-aware assistant rather than a traditional search tool. By integrating personal data — while maintaining opt-in controls — Google aims to make Search more intuitive, adaptive, and aligned with individual users’ real lives.