If you use Google, you’re training its AI. Here’s how to opt out.

Google expanded the data it uses to train artificial intelligence models by default across Gmail, Google Photos, and other services. Users now need to actively disable this setting to prevent their personal content from feeding into Google's AI systems.

The company made the change through its privacy settings without explicit notification to most users. Any text, images, or documents stored in Google services automatically became eligible for AI training unless users manually opt out. This applies to Gmail messages, uploaded photos, documents, and other stored content.

To disable this, users must visit Google's My Activity page and adjust privacy controls within each Google service individually. The process requires navigating multiple settings menus. Google Takeout, which lets users download their data, does not currently show which content is being used for AI training.

The shift reflects how tech companies generate training data at scale. Rather than seeking explicit consent upfront, Google uses an opt-out model that relies on users discovering and disabling the setting themselves. Most users never change default settings, meaning the vast majority continue sharing data unknowingly.

Privacy advocates argue this approach exploits the complexity of privacy menus. Users typically lack visibility into how their personal information trains commercial AI systems. The change particularly affects sensitive content like medical information in emails or personal photos in cloud storage.

Google states it applies the same privacy rules to AI training as to other uses of user data, but critics contend AI training demands different consent standards given its scale and permanence. Once data trains a model, users cannot easily remove their influence from that system.

For users wanting to protect their privacy, opting out requires finding and toggling multiple settings across different Google products. Those uncomfortable with their personal data powering Google's AI development should prioritize reviewing these controls immediately.