Gemini beta can now give proactive replies using your photos, emails, files and more

Google announced a new beta feature in the Gemini app on Wednesday. The feature, called Personal Intelligence, allows the AI assistant to tailor responses by connecting across your Google ecosystem—starting with Gmail, Photos, Search, and YouTube history.

Previously, Gemini could retrieve information from these apps. Now, it can reason across your data to provide proactive suggestions. For example, it can connect an email thread to a video you watched, giving context-aware answers without you specifying where to look.

Personal Intelligence: Off by Default

Google says Personal Intelligence is off by default. Users can choose whether to link their Google apps to Gemini. If you opt in, Gemini will only use the data when it determines it will be helpful.

Not everyone will want AI analyzing their emails or photos. Google emphasizes that privacy and control remain in users’ hands.

How It Works

Josh Woodward, VP of Gemini App, Google Labs, and AI Studio, explained that Personal Intelligence has two strengths:

1. Reasoning across complex sources

2. Retrieving specific details from emails, photos, or videos

Woodward shared examples:

• At a tire shop, he forgot his car’s tire size. Gemini suggested all-weather tires after checking family road trip photos in Google Photos.

• He forgot his license plate number. Gemini pulled it from a photo in Photos.

• For planning spring break, Gemini analyzed past trips and Gmail info to recommend an overnight train journey and specific board games, skipping typical tourist spots.

Privacy and Data Handling

Google has set guardrails for sensitive topics. Gemini avoids making proactive assumptions about health data, though it will provide answers if you ask directly.

Importantly, Gemini does not train directly on your Gmail or Photos library. Instead, it trains on prompts and model responses. The emails, photos, or receipts are only referenced to generate answers, not used to improve the AI model.

Availability

Personal Intelligence is initially rolling out to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. Google plans to expand it to more countries and eventually include Gemini’s free tier.

Example Prompts

Google suggests trying prompts such as

• “Help me plan my weekend in [city, e.g., New York] based on things I like to do.”

• “Recommend some documentaries based on what I’ve been curious about.”

• “Based on my delivery and grocery receipts in Gmail, search history, and YouTube watch history, recommend 5 YouTube channels that match my cooking style or meal prep vibe.”