Google's AI is eating your email by default. Here's how to shut its mouth
(2025/11/21)
- Reference: 1763740032
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/11/21/google_workspace_smart_features/
- Source link:
Google's "don't be evil" ethos is so 2015. These days, the Chocolate Factory is all about integrating users with bots, whether they like it or not. Now, it's rolling out Workspace "smart features" that process personal content with AI, and many users are finding the settings enabled by default.
Engineering YouTuber Dave Jones [1]noticed this week that he had been opted into a set of new Workspace smart features without ever being asked. According to Google's [2]help page for the features, the point of the on-by-default settings is to add its Gemini AI across Workspace in order to suck in all your Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Drive, and Meet data so that it can all be cross-referenced.
As Google notes further down on the help page - where it says the setting isn't on by default in the EU, Switzerland, UK or Japan due to those regions' more robust privacy laws and tries to justify getting users to opt in - any and all of the smart Workspace features that users enable may result in Workspace content and activity being processed to improve those features.
[3]
Google is clear on what that means, but not on that help page. You'll need to visit a [4]different article to get the gist of what Google intends to do with Workspace user data. There, you'll find the following passage:
We do not use your Workspace data to train or improve the underlying generative AI and large language models that power Bard, Search, and other systems outside of Workspace without permission.
When users are opted into smart features without actively granting consent, however, it's entirely possible your personal data - emails, Google documents, and the like - is being used to train Gemini and other AI models without explicit consent. We reached out to Google for clarification, but didn't immediately hear back.
How to opt out of Workspace smart features
Others have [5]reported that their Google accounts haven't been opted in by default to the smart features yet, but when this vulture checked his personal and work Gmail accounts this morning while writing this story, he found that both accounts had the smart features toggled on. It's worth checking yours to be sure you're opted out if you're concerned about the privacy of your personal Google data.
Start by logging into Gmail and clicking on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the Gmail screen. From there, click See All Settings.
[6]
[7]
Once the Settings window appears, scroll down until you see the smart features field, which should be directly above Google Workspace Smart Features. Uncheck the box that turns on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet, after which point Gmail will prompt you to reload.
[8]
Uncheck the first box, then click on the button below to turn off the rest of those on-by-default smart features - Click to enlarge
Note : If you rely on the inbox categories that Gmail added a while ago, sorry - those are only available if you leave smart features toggled on, since without them the AI won't be scanning your inbox to decide what goes where.
[9]AI is making Google and Meta even stronger and richer
[10]How Google tracks Android device users before they've even opened an app
[11]Google's Privacy Sandbox more like a privacy mirage, campaigners claim
[12]Google's plan to drop third-party cookies in Chrome crumbles
Double note: Google has also very helpfully stuck grammar and spell checking and autocorrect behind smart features as well, so if you toggle them off, you're going to have to rely on your own proficiency in the English language - or your OS' built-in spell checking - to keep yourself from appearing to be an idiot.
Disabling the first set of smart features won't take care of the rest of the Workspace smart features in the second category mentioned above, so the next thing you'll need to do is click on Manage Workspace smart feature settings to disable those items.
[13]
Make sure both of those checkboxes are toggled off - Click to enlarge
Once that's done, you'll be a little bit safer from Google's prying eyes - at least in theory. The Chocolate Factory [14]hasn't been the best at honoring privacy settings in the past, so it's debatable whether these toggles will do much more than simply deprive users of useful features while Google continues to gorge itself on your personal data. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://x.com/eevblog/status/1991293066175492297
[2] https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322#zippy=%2Cwhat-are-googles-legal-bases-of-processing-for-users-in-the-european-economic-area-united-kingdom-or-switzerland%2Chow-long-is-your-workspace-content-activity-used-to-provide-smart-features-and-to-improve-these-features
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aSCap277M6UudVc5rq-MTwAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://workspace.google.com/blog/identity-and-security/protecting-your-data-era-generative-ai#:~:text=We%20do%20not%20use%20your%20Workspace%20data%20to%20train%20or%20improve%20the%20underlying%20generative%20AI%20and%20large%20language%20models%20that%20power%20Bard%2C%20Search%2C%20and%20other%20systems%20outside%20of%20Workspace%20without%20permission.%C2%A0
[5] https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/11/gmail-is-reading-your-emails-and-attachments-to-train-its-ai-unless-you-turn-it-off
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aSCap277M6UudVc5rq-MTwAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aSCap277M6UudVc5rq-MTwAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/11/21/gmail-smart-features.jpg
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/30/meta_alphabet_q3_2025/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/04/google_android/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/13/noyb_gdpr_privacy_sandbox/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/23/google_cookies_third_party_continue/
[13] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/11/21/google-workspace-smart-features-2.jpg
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/01/google_will_delete_data_incognito/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Engineering YouTuber Dave Jones [1]noticed this week that he had been opted into a set of new Workspace smart features without ever being asked. According to Google's [2]help page for the features, the point of the on-by-default settings is to add its Gemini AI across Workspace in order to suck in all your Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Drive, and Meet data so that it can all be cross-referenced.
As Google notes further down on the help page - where it says the setting isn't on by default in the EU, Switzerland, UK or Japan due to those regions' more robust privacy laws and tries to justify getting users to opt in - any and all of the smart Workspace features that users enable may result in Workspace content and activity being processed to improve those features.
[3]
Google is clear on what that means, but not on that help page. You'll need to visit a [4]different article to get the gist of what Google intends to do with Workspace user data. There, you'll find the following passage:
We do not use your Workspace data to train or improve the underlying generative AI and large language models that power Bard, Search, and other systems outside of Workspace without permission.
When users are opted into smart features without actively granting consent, however, it's entirely possible your personal data - emails, Google documents, and the like - is being used to train Gemini and other AI models without explicit consent. We reached out to Google for clarification, but didn't immediately hear back.
How to opt out of Workspace smart features
Others have [5]reported that their Google accounts haven't been opted in by default to the smart features yet, but when this vulture checked his personal and work Gmail accounts this morning while writing this story, he found that both accounts had the smart features toggled on. It's worth checking yours to be sure you're opted out if you're concerned about the privacy of your personal Google data.
Start by logging into Gmail and clicking on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the Gmail screen. From there, click See All Settings.
[6]
[7]
Once the Settings window appears, scroll down until you see the smart features field, which should be directly above Google Workspace Smart Features. Uncheck the box that turns on smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet, after which point Gmail will prompt you to reload.
[8]
Uncheck the first box, then click on the button below to turn off the rest of those on-by-default smart features - Click to enlarge
Note : If you rely on the inbox categories that Gmail added a while ago, sorry - those are only available if you leave smart features toggled on, since without them the AI won't be scanning your inbox to decide what goes where.
[9]AI is making Google and Meta even stronger and richer
[10]How Google tracks Android device users before they've even opened an app
[11]Google's Privacy Sandbox more like a privacy mirage, campaigners claim
[12]Google's plan to drop third-party cookies in Chrome crumbles
Double note: Google has also very helpfully stuck grammar and spell checking and autocorrect behind smart features as well, so if you toggle them off, you're going to have to rely on your own proficiency in the English language - or your OS' built-in spell checking - to keep yourself from appearing to be an idiot.
Disabling the first set of smart features won't take care of the rest of the Workspace smart features in the second category mentioned above, so the next thing you'll need to do is click on Manage Workspace smart feature settings to disable those items.
[13]
Make sure both of those checkboxes are toggled off - Click to enlarge
Once that's done, you'll be a little bit safer from Google's prying eyes - at least in theory. The Chocolate Factory [14]hasn't been the best at honoring privacy settings in the past, so it's debatable whether these toggles will do much more than simply deprive users of useful features while Google continues to gorge itself on your personal data. ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://x.com/eevblog/status/1991293066175492297
[2] https://support.google.com/mail/answer/15604322#zippy=%2Cwhat-are-googles-legal-bases-of-processing-for-users-in-the-european-economic-area-united-kingdom-or-switzerland%2Chow-long-is-your-workspace-content-activity-used-to-provide-smart-features-and-to-improve-these-features
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aSCap277M6UudVc5rq-MTwAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://workspace.google.com/blog/identity-and-security/protecting-your-data-era-generative-ai#:~:text=We%20do%20not%20use%20your%20Workspace%20data%20to%20train%20or%20improve%20the%20underlying%20generative%20AI%20and%20large%20language%20models%20that%20power%20Bard%2C%20Search%2C%20and%20other%20systems%20outside%20of%20Workspace%20without%20permission.%C2%A0
[5] https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2025/11/gmail-is-reading-your-emails-and-attachments-to-train-its-ai-unless-you-turn-it-off
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aSCap277M6UudVc5rq-MTwAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/aiml&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aSCap277M6UudVc5rq-MTwAAAMw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[8] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/11/21/gmail-smart-features.jpg
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/30/meta_alphabet_q3_2025/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2025/03/04/google_android/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2024/06/13/noyb_gdpr_privacy_sandbox/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2024/07/23/google_cookies_third_party_continue/
[13] https://regmedia.co.uk/2025/11/21/google-workspace-smart-features-2.jpg
[14] https://www.theregister.com/2024/04/01/google_will_delete_data_incognito/
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
I don't see any way...
theOtherJT
...that this doesn't end in a lawsuit. Probably a class action.
I don't use gmail much
AlanSh
My gmail account is purely so I can set up my Android phone. It does get lots of spam which google catch, but other than that, it doesn't get touched.
IceC0ld
looking more and more like Google have accepted that a fine, will just be pocket change to their bottom line :o(
even if it EVER reaches BILLIONS of $$$
they make enough to absorb that in a week or so, this is getting what they want, at a price they can easily afford :o(
I do hope my long disused Gmail addresses are getting a good helping of spam. It can make a sandwich with that.