Social media was abuzz with reports of Gmail using users’ email content to train its Gemini AI. Tips on how to disable AI training in Gmail began circulating, accusing Google’s service of data harvesting. Critics believed that the Sundar Pichai company uses emails and attachments to train its AI features like Smart Compose. Was it all rumors? In his write-up for Malwarebytes Labs, Pieter Arntz, a former Microsoft MVP in customer security, reported that
Google has recently started automatically opting users in to allow Gmail to access all private messages and attachments for training its AI models. This means your emails could be analyzed to improve Google’s AI assistants, like Smart Compose or AI-generated replies. Unless you decide to take action.
He further added
The reason behind this is Google’s push to power new Gmail features with its Gemini AI, helping you write emails faster and manage your inbox more efficiently. To do that, Google is using real email content, including attachments, to train and refine its AI models. Some users are now reporting that these settings are switched on by default instead of asking for explicit opt-in.
Arntz shared tips on opting out of the feature here.
The nightmare of opting your personal data out of AI training continues. https://t.co/EiCRPbLX3g
— Malwarebytes (@Malwarebytes) November 20, 2025
Reacting sharply to the reports, Gmail took to X/Twitter and denied using user-generated content for AI training. It remarked
Let’s set the record straight on recent misleading reports. Here are the facts:
• We have not changed anyone’s settings.
• Gmail Smart Features have existed for many years.
• We do not use your Gmail content to train our Gemini AI model.
We are always transparent and…
— Gmail (@gmail) November 21, 2025
Reactions poured in over Gmail’s tweet with several dropping hilarious memes. One user stated,
Your parent company is using its de facto monopoly on search engines to blackmail sites into its AI platform so they can be milked for algorithm training. @Google, it’s no longer a customer-oriented company but an AI based data laundry farm. And @gmail is part of its pipeline.
Another wrote
Great. But, you are still using creative-stealing, environment-killing, generative AI. Maybe consider stopping doing that, and people will like you a lot more. Transparency means nothing when what you’re transparent about is immoral.
Yet another took a dig
Translation: we use your emails to train our other AI models except Gemini
Your parent company is using its de facto monopoly on search engines to blackmail sites into its AI platform, so they can be milked to algorithm training.@Google it’s not longer a customer oriented company but an AI based data laundry farm.
And @gmail is part of its pipeline. pic.twitter.com/qgY5PqDW4d
— El Cavilldo (@ECavilldo) November 22, 2025
pic.twitter.com/jReqCVCHXU
— AC (@Vandel_Buster) November 22, 2025
Great. But, you are still using creative-stealing, environment-killing, generative AI. Maybe consider stop doing that, and people will like you a lot more. Transparency means nothing when what you’re transparent about is immoral.
— A.R. Charles (@CathyWriter24) November 22, 2025
Translation : we use your emails to train our other AI models except Gemini
— Sigmaroles (@sigmaroles) November 22, 2025
pic.twitter.com/10JZa49msT
— iRacing UI Guy, IRL Dad (@JimmayVV) November 21, 2025
pic.twitter.com/Qx7Ln6s3wC
— perifetes (@perifetes) November 22, 2025
pic.twitter.com/rMgES3NmwB
— ryan chalmers (@ryanchalm3rs) November 22, 2025
See Also: Google Ordered To Pay $425 Million For Privacy Violations In Landmark Jury Verdict
See Also: On Teen Safety, Sam Altman Says Some Of OpenAI’s ‘Principles Are In Conflict’; Proposes A Fix
Great Job James Paul & the Team @ Mashable India tech Source link for sharing this story.
