Google’s AI Training: What You Need to Know

Google’s recent update to its privacy settings has raised concerns among users about how their data is being used to train AI models. In this article, we’ll delve into the details of this update and provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your data.

Source: techcrunch.com

What’s Changing?

Google’s update affects how the company uses your media, including images, files, and audio and video recordings, to improve its AI models. The change is part of a broader industry shift towards gathering data by any means necessary to improve AI services.

Source: techcrunch.com

Google’s help documentation explains that the company uses your history to provide, develop, and improve its services, including training generative AI models, and to protect Google, its users, and the public with the help of human reviewers.

Some of this storage is temporary and tied to making the product work, but per Google’s own language, saved media can also be retained specifically to train its AI.

What Media Is Affected?

The update affects various Google services, including Search, Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News. If you upload any media to Google’s Search services, it’s being used to train AI unless you opt out.

For instance, when you use Google Lens to search for something visually by snapping a photo, that image may now be saved for AI training. Similarly, if you use the newer Search Live feature to search via voice input in the Google app, those audio recordings could be saved, as can any other Google voice search. If you use Google Translate to practice speaking, that audio is saved, too.

How to Opt Out

The good news is you have some control here. You can change your preferences on the Search Services History and Search Services Personalization pages. On the former, you can uncheck the