Google Is Using Your Search Data To Train AI: Here’s How To Stop It

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Consumers who use generative AI services like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others should expect that most AI software providers may use AI chat data to train future systems, though most providers offer ways to opt out. Google, which already tracks users online for advertising purposes, is one AI service provider that offers opt-out controls, so Gemini users can stop Google from training future AI models on their chats with Gemini. However, Google also wants to use personal data from other products in which users may interact with Gemini-powered AI to train future models, including media such as photos and videos shared for assistance. Google is rolling out new settings that govern the collection of data from Google Search, Google Lens, Google Maps, Google Translate, Google News, as well as searches related to shopping, flights, and hotels. The good news is that users are still in control of their data, as Google lets users opt out from having their data used to train future Gemini AI models.

Google has a new support document explaining that the company is rolling out new settings for Google Search services that may not be visible for all users immediately. The process will take a few months and will cover the Google apps and services mentioned above. Until the new settings are available, Google Search data controls can be managed via the current My Activity page in a user’s Google Account.

Once the update rolls out, users will see a new Search Services History in their account, which will contain the controls users can disable to prevent Google from using Gemini AI interactions across Google Search and the other products mentioned above to train its AI models.

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Google explains in the new support document that the new Search Services History menu will contain data from many online activities you perform while you’re signed into your Google account. Search Services History will include “your searches, info from sites you visit with Search services, and generative AI responses,” according to the company. Also, information like your general locations and uploaded media (photos, videos, audio, and files) will be included. Interactions with Google Lens, Search Live, and Google Translate (including foreign language speaking practice) will also be part of the data Google may use for AI model training.

Google also notes in the same document that the data in your saved history “helps tailor your experience on Search services and across Google.” Importantly, this history can also be used for personalized recommendations and ads, in addition to training new models.

Google says that the data will be disconnected from your Google account before it’s reviewed by humans and fed to AI models during training, assuming you want to share data for AI model training. The company also notes that it has designed filters that remove “a broad range of identifying info or sensitive personal information” from the data batches Google uses. Finally, Google says it’ll ask users for permission before it shares media content for human review. However, if your Google account is managed by an education institution, Search Services History data will not be used for AI model training by default.

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Google also notes that users can turn off Search Services History to prevent their data from the Google products listed above from training new AI models. To do that, users will have to wait for the new Search Services History menu to appear in their Google Accounts. TechPP reports that some users have started seeing the menu, providing screenshots. During limited checks, we did not see the menu in some of our Google Accounts.

If your current settings for Web & App Activity and Search Personalization are “On,” the new Search Services History will also be on. If they’re off, then they’ll be off in Search Services History, though you should still ensure that’s the case. Google also says that if only Web & App Activity was enabled, then Search Services History will be enabled, while Search Personalization will stay off.

When the Search Services History menu rolls out for your Google account, you can go to the Search Services History settings page to customize it. Sign into your Google account and then visit the new menu to turn Search Services History off so Google can’t use your data to train the AI. If you choose to leave it on, you can decide whether you want to allow your media to be used for AI training. You can disable just media collection by unchecking the Save Media checkbox under Search Services History. Finally, you can turn off the Personalized Recommendations setting in your Google Account, under Data & privacy > Personalization settings. Disabling the feature means Google will not personalize Search results or AI chats based on the data in Search Services History.