Personal Intelligence, Gemini’s biggest upgrade yet, launches today, and it’s one of the most significant AI innovations we’ve seen to date.
The new Google AI feature allows Gemini to use Google apps and retrieve your personal data to get extra context from your queries.
A first glimpse of iOS 27’s Siri?
It feels like a new AI feature is being touted as ‘the next big thing’ almost daily, but the examples Google has shared with the launch of Gemini’s Personal Intelligence are truly impressive and exciting.
One example that was shared was Gemini’s ability to find out what the best tires are for the user’s car without even knowing the model. Then Gemini could get the license plate from Fotos without being instructed where to look.
Another example was Gemini’s new ability to create an itinerary for an upcoming trip, which no AI chatbot has been able to do before. Instead of just linking the most popular places, Personal Intelligence uses all the information it knows about you to suggest specific restaurants, things to do, and even what board games to play on the road.
Personal Intelligence looks like it could be Google’s answer to the Siri that Apple promised users back at WWDC 2025. Now, after the announcement of Apple and Google’s big AI partnership, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is our first glimpse of Siri in iOS 27, just without Apple’s branding.
Gemini is set to power the next generation of Siri, albeit without any Google branding, and that could mean, just like when Gemini features launch on the Pixel before a major Android rollout, this could be an initial taste of Siri’s upcoming capabilities before they’re repackaged for the iPhone.
Privacy at its core
When you hear about new AI features that take advantage of everything you do online, it’s only natural to question your privacy. But Google promises that Personal Intelligence has been built with privacy at its core, so you can decide exactly how Gemini connects to the apps in question.
Google says that Personal Intelligence is turned off by default, and Gemini will only access the data to answer your specific requests. Because Personal Intelligence makes use of other Google services, everything remains with Google, without sensitive information being sent to third parties.
Everything Personal Intelligence does also comes with a source, so you can see exactly how Gemini arrived at the specific answer it gives. This means that if you realize that Gemini has access to personal niche information that you didn’t even know you had shared online, it can show exactly where it came from.
Personal Intelligence is also limited by sensitive topic safeguards, meaning Gemini will only seek information from sensitive data like health if you allow it to do so.
It’s a very smart feature, and Google seems focused on making sure consumers feel comfortable sharing more personal data with Gemini than ever before. Google says Gemini doesn’t tap directly into your Gmail inbox or Google Photos library, so you can have peace of mind that your privacy remains secure.
How to turn on personal intelligence
So you’ve had a glimpse of what Gemini can now offer thanks to Personal Intelligence, and you’ll want to start using it right away. Well, the good news is that Personal Intelligence is starting to roll out to eligible users in the US today.
Personal Intelligence works across web, Android and iOS and is currently only available for personal Google Accounts. How to activate it:
- Open Gemini and tap Settings
- Tap Personal Intelligence
- Select connected apps (Gmail, Photos, etc.)
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