Google’s Gemini AI Will Soon Use Your Personal Data for Training: Here’s How to Stop It

Google’s Gemini AI is getting a big privacy update starting September 2. By default, the chatbot will be able to use not just your conversations but also a sample of your uploads—files, photos, videos, and screenshots—to improve its responses.

If you’re not okay with that, the good news is you can turn it off. Here’s a step-by-step guide to stop Gemini from training on your personal data.

Step 1: Understand What’s Changing

Google is rebranding “Gemini Apps Activity” to a new setting called Keep Activity. If it’s left on, Gemini may learn from your chats and media. The setting is enabled automatically, so you’ll need to disable it yourself if you’d prefer more privacy.

Step 2: Turn Off Gemini Activity on Desktop

1. Go to Gemini.Google.com and sign in.

2. Click the menu on the left and choose "Settings & help."

3. Select "Activity."

4. Toggle off "Gemini Apps Activity."

5. (Optional) Delete past activity to remove all your stored conversations.

Keep in mind: even after turning it off, Google may hold onto your data for up to 72 hours before it’s fully deleted. If you have multiple Google accounts, you’ll need to repeat these steps for each one.

Step 3: Turn Off Gemini Activity on Mobile

1. Open the Gemini app.

2. Tap your account icon in the top-right corner.

3. Go to Gemini apps activity (this will soon show up as Keep Activity).

4. Switch it off.

5. (Optional) Delete older activity for extra privacy.

Step 4: Decide If You Want to Delete Past Data

Disabling Gemini activity only affects future chats and uploads. If you want to erase what’s already been stored, you’ll need to delete your past activity in the same settings menu.

Step 5: Stay Aware of Trade-Offs

Turning the setting off gives you more privacy, but it also means Gemini won’t improve from your interactions. Some users may see this as a fair trade, while others might want the AI to keep learning from their usage.

Why Google Is Doing This

AI assistants don’t get smarter by reading public datasets alone. To sound more natural and actually understand what people are asking, they need real-world input. Google is positioning Gemini to improve by training on everyday queries, emotional conversations, and even documents users choose to upload.

In theory, this makes responses more accurate and helpful. But in practice, it raises questions about privacy and control—especially when personal files are involved.

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