Google Tests AI Mode Ads Personalized With Connected Gmail and Photos Data Under Updated Privacy Policy
TLDR
Google is testing ads in AI Mode that use connected Gmail and Photos data, after its privacy policy added an exception for ad personalization.
What this means for your site
- Status
- Policy change
- Platform
- Google Ads
- Affects
- AI Mode ads, ad personalization, Gmail data, Google Photos data
- Who
- Advertisers running ads in Google AI Mode and Google users with connected apps
- Effective
- Not specified in the source
- Action needed
- Not specified in the source
Optimixed Overview
Optimixed's original report on this story.
Google is testing AI Mode ads informed by connected Gmail and Photos data, and its privacy policy now includes an exception for ad personalization. Search Engine Journal reports that the change lets connected apps shape which ads appear in AI Mode.
How we got here
- Oct 23Google adds exception to privacy pledge, now allowing Gmail and Photos data in ad targeting
Google created a new exception to its 2021 promise not to use Gmail and Photos data for ads, now allowing linked data to shape targeting on Search and Gemini.
- Oct 19Google reverses course: ads now showing in AI Mode search results with Personal Intelligence
Google reversed its March commitment to keep ads out of AI Mode results, now showing advertisements alongside Personal Intelligence responses.
- Aug 21Google Releases August 2026 Spam Update as Gemini 3.7 Powers New AI Mode Features
Google's third spam update of 2026 finished rolling out Friday; Gemini 3.7 Flash now powers AI Mode, while multiple other search, ads, and crawler changes roll out across platforms.
- Aug 20Google Expands Personalization Features Across Search, Discover, and News
Google expanded its Preferred Sources personalization program with a new embeddable button, natural language Discover controls, and customizable audio briefings across Search, Discover, and Google News.