I tried Gemini's Personal Intelligence, and it was accurate in a useful (but unsettling) way

Source: ZDNet

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Google’s Personal Intelligence Mode is coming to all users.
• It uses data from connected Google services, such as Gmail and Search.
• The feature lets Gemini give you personalized help and advice.

A hyper‑personalized Gemini mode is now rolling out to all users. In a recent post, Google explained that it’s making Personal Intelligence available to everyone. The feature, which debuted earlier this year for subscribers paying $20 / month, gives Gemini access to personal information (Gmail, Search history, Google Photos, etc.) so it can offer tailored assistance instead of generic answers.

Personal Intelligence is entirely opt‑in; you choose what to share. To enable it, go to gemini.google.com → Settings → Personal Intelligence and select the apps you want to connect.

Google suggested use cases such as:

• Asking for a jacket to match a newly bought shirt.
• Getting tech support for a new robot vacuum (even without knowing the exact model).
• Receiving lunch suggestions for an upcoming flight layover, based on your food preferences and gate location.
• Finding activities for an upcoming trip, using your destination and interests.

Test driving Personal Intelligence

To test the feature, I used the example from Google’s post: “I need new tires for my car.” The AI instantly provided suggestions for both my car and my wife’s car, including make, model, color, required tire size, price‑range options, reviews, and nearby retailers.

When I performed the same query in Google’s AI Mode without personalization, I received generic information about tire sizes, brand recommendations, and retailer options, but the retailers weren’t tailored to my area.

The personalized mode was clearly more helpful. Although the AI didn’t cite sources, I asked where the specific details came from. It replied that recent email service reminders for those vehicles supplied the information. It also referenced an older service reminder for another vehicle and noted an email from my insurance company about a car that was totaled in 2024 (which it excluded). Additionally, it mentioned that photos of the vehicles in my library helped confirm they are our current cars.

I then asked the AI to find a new t‑shirt for my favorite team. It showed options for my favorite baseball team, my local NFL team, and my college team, even noting that I’m a “frequent attendee” of games for the latter two. It correctly suggested sizes based on clothing order receipts found in my email.

I’ve long since given up on any semblance of privacy online, but I was slightly unsettled by how quickly Personal Intelligence pulled up details about my life. It was surprisingly useful. If you’re privacy‑concerned, this mode may not be for you; otherwise, Gemini’s access to your existing Google data opens up many practical possibilities.