An urgent warning has been issued to millions of Gmail users, urging them to switch off a new AI setting that scans inboxes. The alert, posted by American TV personality Lori Greiner on Instagram, claims that Google has been allowing AI to read personal emails without users' knowledge.
Greiner, known for her role on Shark Tank, said: 'Google doesn’t want you to know this, but they’ve been allowing AI to scan every single one of your emails, and I'm talking about everything. Your financial documents, your tax information, your personal conversations. All of it is being scanned by AI, without you even knowing.'
The feature in question is Google's smart AI tools, which are designed to provide smart searches, contextual replies, and email summaries. Google insists that it never reads messages for its own use and that no personal data is shared with third parties. However, Greiner advises users to opt out by turning off smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet.
To disable the setting, users should navigate to their Google Account settings, select 'Data & Privacy', and under 'Smart Features & Personalisation', toggle off the relevant options. Additionally, clicking 'Manage Workspace Smart Features' allows users to uncheck boxes for Workspace and other products to fully restrict data usage for AI.
Google has stated: 'Google does not train its foundational AI models, including Gemini, on your personal emails. Any access you grant Gemini in Gmail is for isolated tasks — like summarising a lengthy email — and that’s it. What’s in your inbox stays private, even if you use Gemini to help you.'
Despite these reassurances, the warning has sparked concern among users who value their privacy. Greiner concluded: 'Here’s the good news: You can turn it off in 30 seconds.'
