Google Updates Privacy Policy To Allow Connected Apps In Ads
Google's new policy enables connected apps to influence personalized ads, affecting users who opt into Personal Intelligence in Gemini and AI Mode in Search. This change may impact how ads are targeted to users.
Original reporting · searchenginejournal.com
Original: “Google Privacy Update Lets Connected Apps Shape AI Mode Ads via @sejournal, @brookeosmundson”
Read “Google Privacy Update Lets Connected Apps Shape AI Mode Ads via @sejournal,…” at Search Engine Journal →
How this was written. Adtomix wrote this article with a language model from Search Engine Journal’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from Search Engine Journal’s report
- Google's updated privacy policy allows connected apps to influence personalized ads for users who opt into Personal Intelligence.
- The change applies to users who have connected their apps to Search and have opted into AI Mode in Search.
- Advertisers have limited visibility into whether connected-app information contributes to ad delivery or results.
Google has made a significant update to its privacy policy, allowing content from connected apps such as Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Drive to play a role in personalized ads. This change applies to users who have opted into Personal Intelligence in Gemini and AI Mode in Search. The updated policy took effect on October 16.
Google's previous policy stated that it did not show personalized ads based on content from Drive, Gmail, or Photos. However, the new policy adds an exception, allowing users to make data from these services available to other Google services that support personalized ads. This means that users can give Search or Gemini Apps access to information from other Google apps.
The information shared from connected apps can be used to personalize content, including ads, for users who connect apps to Search. Google specifically states that Search may use some of this information to tailor ads to individual users. This change may affect how ads are targeted to users who have connected their apps to Search.
Personal Intelligence is an opt-in feature that allows Gemini and AI Mode in Search to pull context from connected apps. This feature was first launched in January 2026 as a Labs experiment in English in the US for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. Users can connect Gmail and Google Photos through their personal Google accounts, enabling AI Mode to reference information from these apps.
Google is testing AI Mode ads for users who have Personal Intelligence turned on. The company has not announced any new advertiser controls or targeting options for this test. Instead, campaign eligibility follows existing rules for ads in AI Mode, with certain campaign types eligible for testing.
The available reporting for this test has limitations, including no dedicated Personal Intelligence reporting and no identification of connected-app signals in AI Max reports. Advertisers have limited visibility into whether connected-app information contributes to ad delivery or results. This article is based on reporting by Search Engine Journal.
Questions and answers
What is Personal Intelligence and how does it work?
Personal Intelligence is an opt-in feature that allows Gemini and AI Mode in Search to pull context from connected apps, enabling AI Mode to reference information from these apps and tailor ads to individual users.
How can users control their connected-app data and ad personalization?
Users can keep Gmail and Photos out of ad personalization by turning off personalized ads in My Ad Center or by disconnecting the apps from their Google Account.
What are the limitations of the available reporting for this test?
The available reporting has limitations, including no dedicated Personal Intelligence reporting and no identification of connected-app signals in AI Max reports.
