The mechanic squinted, pointing at my worn tires. “You drive to Oklahoma a lot, huh?” he asked, a smirk playing on his lips. It wasn’t just the tires; he knew my license plate, the trim of my minivan, all gleaned in seconds. Now, Google’s new “Personal Intelligence” for Gemini wants to do the same, except it’s not confined to a tire shop.
OpenAI made the first move by equipping ChatGPT with memory. Now, Google is upping the ante. The tech giant recently announced a beta feature for Gemini that users can opt into called “Personal Intelligence,” which pulls from past conversations and your internet history.
Like ChatGPT, Gemini can reference previous chats. However, Personal Intelligence goes further, accessing almost everything you’ve done within the Google universe, from Gmail to Google Photos. You can disconnect services and erase history, but the potential reach is vast.
According to Google, Gemini can sift through your Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive files, and Google Photos. It can also analyze your YouTube watch history, Google Search queries, and activity on Shopping, News, Maps, Google Flights, and Hotels. The promise? Gemini will use all that information to provide “uniquely tailored answers.”
Is Google Gemini safe?
Josh Woodward, Vice President of the Gemini app, shared an anecdote on a blog post:
Since connecting my apps through Personal Intelligence, my daily life has gotten easier. For example, we needed new tires for our 2019 Honda minivan two weeks ago. Standing in line at the shop, I realized I didn’t know the tire size. I asked Gemini. These days any chatbot can find these tire specs, but Gemini went further. It suggested different options: one for daily driving and another for all-weather conditions, referencing our family road trips to Oklahoma found in Google Photos. It then neatly pulled ratings and prices for each. As I got to the counter, I needed our license plate. Instead of searching for it or losing my spot in line to walk back to the parking lot, I asked Gemini. It pulled the seven-digit number from a picture in Photos and also helped me identify the van’s specific trim by searching Gmail. Just like that, we were set.
There’s a deeper question. Is outsourcing our decisions to AI a genuine improvement, or are we simply outsourcing our critical thinking? There is a certain charm in learning something new from a human.
How do I turn off personal results on Google Gemini?
Google is aware that this level of personalization might raise eyebrows, even with the promise of better recommendations and search results. Personal Intelligence can be toggled on and off, and users can choose which sources it accesses. Gemini will also “try” to cite the sources it uses, allowing users to verify the information.
The company is also preparing beta testers for potential hiccups. A recent blog post cautioned that users might encounter inaccurate responses or “over-personalization,” where Gemini draws connections between unrelated data. It also noted that Gemini might “struggle with timing or nuance,” misinterpreting information like outdated photos of a person with their ex. Think of it as a fledgling detective, sometimes brilliant, sometimes hilariously wrong.
How much does Google Gemini cost?
Personal Intelligence is currently rolling out to “eligible” Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the US. Google plans to expand availability to more countries, incorporate it into Gemini’s free tier, and integrate it into AI Mode in Search “soon.” The cost of Google AI Pro is $20 (€18.60) per month, which includes 2TB of storage. Google hasn’t yet released pricing for AI Ultra.
This feels like a pivotal moment. We’re handing over the keys to our digital lives, hoping for convenience and tailored insights. But is this level of access a shortcut to efficiency, or a slippery slope toward a world where algorithms know us better than we know ourselves?