Google is moving more into your personal territory with its AI Mode using Personal Intelligence. For the uninitiated, Personal Intelligence is an opt-in feature that Google introduced earlier this month, which lets Gemini get access to your personal data across Google apps like Gmail, Google Photos, and more, to provide contextual and proactive assistance. Putting it simply, this feature lets Gemini answer your queries and offer real-time recommendations based on specific information from inside Google apps.
Personal Intelligence is rolling out to AI Mode for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers
Now, the company is taking that experience one notch up with the rollout of Personal Intelligence to AI Mode. For those wondering, it’s a conversational Search experience designed for complex, multi-step questions. So, what’s different in this experience from what you’re usually used to with AI Mode? Well, going forward, AI Mode can factor in personal context pulled from your Google account. For now, the integrations include Google Photos and Gmail.
Google says that with Personal Intelligence now enabled, AI Mode will be able to move beyond surface-level suggestions to offer a more personalized experience. Speaking in the context of Gmail, let’s say you have an upcoming trip for which you’ve done hotel bookings. Going forward, AI Mode will be able to look at those hotel bookings inside Gmail and past travel photos (in the context of Google Photos) to better suggest trip activities that fit your style.
That’s not all. Rather than recommending top-listed hotels, you might get recommendations about places that you may have enjoyed before. One example Google highlighted while describing this feature is the mention of an old ice cream parlor after spotting frequent ice cream photos in your library. The whole idea here is to not overwhelm you with a bunch of information, but to narrow it down to your liking.
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Shopping becomes more personalized, while privacy and control remain opt-in
Shopping is another key area where Personal Intelligence steps in. Now, AI Mode can take into account your preferred brands, past purchases, and even upcoming travel plans. If you’re shopping for a coat ahead of a March trip, AI Mode would already know your destination from Gmail. That way, it can factor in expected weather and recommend options that match your style and purpose. Besides travel and shopping, AI can now offer creative ideas by scouring your shared library to match interests and context.
According to Robby Stein, VP of Product for Google Search, Personal Intelligence removes the need for users to repeatedly explain preferences. The AI can “select recommendations just for you, right from the start.” Just to be clear, Personal Intelligence is fully optional. Users can turn it on or off at any time. That’s not all — the company further says that AI Mode doesn’t train directly on Gmail inboxes or Photos libraries. Instead, training relies on user prompts and AI-generated responses. The rollout has started for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S., starting with English-language queries. All that said, Google is turning AI Mode into something that competitors may struggle to match, at least for now.
