Gerry's Tech Tip of the Month
GERRY HEBERT
January 2026: How to Stop Gmail's AI from Reading Your Emails
Gmail can read your emails and attachments to train its AI. This means that the AI Program -- and anyone who accesses it -- will potentially know everything you recorded in your emails. Fortunately, there is a way to stop this, or “opt out.”
Source: www.malwarebytes.com
HOW TO OPT OUT
To fully opt out, you must turn off Gmail’s “Smart features” in two separate locations in your settings. Don’t miss one, or AI training may continue.
Step 1: Turn off Smart Features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet settings
--Open Gmail on your desktop or mobile app.
--Click the gear icon → See all settings (desktop) or Menu → Settings (mobile).
--Find the section called Smart Features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet. You’ll need to scroll down quite a bit.
--Uncheck this option.
--Scroll down and hit Save changes if on desktop.
Step 2: Turn off Google Workspace Smart Features
--Still in Settings, locate Google Workspace smart features.
--Click on Manage Workspace smart feature settings.
--You’ll see two options: Smart features in Google Workspace and Smart features in other Google products.
--Toggle BOTH off.
--Save again in this screen.
Step 3: Verify if both are off
--Make sure both toggles remain off.
--Refresh your Gmail app or sign out and back in to confirm changes.
Why two places?
Google separates “Workspace” smart features (email, chat, meet) from smart features used across other Google apps. To fully opt out of feeding your data into AI training, both must be disabled.
Source: www.malwarebytes.com
HOW TO OPT OUT
To fully opt out, you must turn off Gmail’s “Smart features” in two separate locations in your settings. Don’t miss one, or AI training may continue.
Step 1: Turn off Smart Features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet settings
--Open Gmail on your desktop or mobile app.
--Click the gear icon → See all settings (desktop) or Menu → Settings (mobile).
--Find the section called Smart Features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet. You’ll need to scroll down quite a bit.
--Uncheck this option.
--Scroll down and hit Save changes if on desktop.
Step 2: Turn off Google Workspace Smart Features
--Still in Settings, locate Google Workspace smart features.
--Click on Manage Workspace smart feature settings.
--You’ll see two options: Smart features in Google Workspace and Smart features in other Google products.
--Toggle BOTH off.
--Save again in this screen.
Step 3: Verify if both are off
--Make sure both toggles remain off.
--Refresh your Gmail app or sign out and back in to confirm changes.
Why two places?
Google separates “Workspace” smart features (email, chat, meet) from smart features used across other Google apps. To fully opt out of feeding your data into AI training, both must be disabled.
