Google is expanding “Personal Intelligence” to AI Mode in Google Search, enabling paying Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. to opt in and connect Gmail and Google Photos so AI Mode can deliver more personalized answers.
The company positioned the update as a way to blend Search’s broad web knowledge with a user’s own context—such as travel confirmations in email or memories in photos—so people don’t have to repeatedly restate preferences, plans, or constraints in their prompts.
Google said the feature is designed to support use cases like planning family-friendly trips by referencing a user’s hotel booking and photo history, or improving shopping recommendations by factoring in brands a person has purchased before and the weather at an upcoming destination inferred from flight details.
Robby Stein, Google Search’s VP of Product, wrote that internal testing surfaced recommendations that felt “spot on,” citing an example where AI Mode noticed a recently purchased sneaker brand and suggested a new style.
Google also emphasized user controls and privacy guardrails. Connecting Gmail and Photos is optional, can be turned on or off, and is being rolled out as a Google Labs experience for eligible subscribers. The company said AI Mode uses its Gemini 3 model and does not train directly on a user’s Gmail inbox or Photos library; instead, training is limited to specific AI Mode prompts and the system’s responses to improve the feature over time.
Google cautioned that errors can occur—such as incorrect connections between unrelated topics—and said users can correct the AI through follow-up prompts or feedback mechanisms like thumbs-down ratings.
KEY QUOTES:
“With Google Search, you should be able to ask any question and find precisely what you need. Accessing the world’s information is the foundation, but the most helpful search experience brings together that global knowledge with insights that are uniquely relevant to you. To make this vision possible, today we’re expanding Personal Intelligence to AI Mode in Google Search.”
“Personal Intelligence transforms Search into an experience that feels uniquely yours by connecting the dots across your Google apps. Starting today, Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers can opt-in to securely connect Gmail and Google Photos to AI Mode. With this new experience, you can tap into your own personal context and insights to unlock even more helpful Search responses that are tailored to you.”
“In testing Personal Intelligence with Gmail and Google Photos enabled, I’ve found new things that I wouldn’t have ever considered or discovered before. One recent example: I was looking for a new pair of sneakers, and AI Mode noticed a brand I’d just bought and suggested a new style I hadn’t seen yet. The recommendation was spot on — I bought them instantly!”
Robby Stein, VP of Product, Google Search
