Google is making its Personal Intelligence feature available to all U.S. users with personal Google accounts, after previously offering it only to paying subscribers. AI Mode in Search is available right away, and free access to the Gemini app and Gemini in Chrome is starting to roll out too.
Google moves a paid Gemini feature to the free tier
This expansion is a significant change in Google’s AI approach.
TechCrunch noted that Personal Intelligence was previously only available to paid users, but now all U.S. users can access it in AI Mode in Search, the Gemini app, and Gemini in Chrome.
According to Google, the feature is expanding in the U.S. and is available today in AI Mode, with the Gemini app and Chrome starting to roll out for free users.
Google presents this feature as a way for Gemini to respond more like a context-aware assistant instead of a generic chatbot.
In its blog, the company said Personal Intelligence lets users securely connect the dots across Google apps like Gmail and Google Photos, making responses uniquely relevant to you.
TechCrunch echoed this, saying the tool helps users find what they need without having to give all the context.
Gmail, Photos, and purchase history become part of the prompt
Google’s examples show how closely the feature connects to a person’s digital history. Personal Intelligence can suggest shopping ideas based on recent purchases and favorite brands, help fix devices using purchase receipts, and create travel suggestions from hotel confirmations and past travel memories.
TechCrunch gave similar examples, like planning a family trip using Gmail bookings and Google Photos memories, or finding a new bag to match recently bought shoes.
That matters because Google is trying to make Gemini more useful in everyday tasks where context is usually scattered across inboxes, photos, tabs, and search history.
Instead of asking users to manually assemble those details, the company wants the AI to do that work for them. Google said the goal is technology that feels like a natural extension of how you get things done.
Google emphasizes privacy controls and opt-in use
The wider rollout brings up familiar privacy concerns, and Google is addressing them directly.
Personal Intelligence is off by default, so users choose if and when to connect their Google apps.
The feature was built with transparency, choice and control at its core, and users can turn app connections on or off at any time.
Google also said Gemini and AI Mode do not train directly on users’ Gmail inboxes or Google Photos libraries.
Instead, the company says it uses limited info, like specific prompts and the model’s responses, to improve over time. This difference will likely stay important as Google brings more personalized AI features to more people.
Personal accounts only, for now
Right now, the feature is limited.
Google said these connected experiences are only for personal Google accounts, not for Workspace business, enterprise or education users. So, the first rollout is focused on consumers, not schools or businesses.
This rollout gives Google a bigger audience for one of its most ambitious Gemini features, as AI companies compete to make assistants more useful and personal. By making Personal Intelligence free in the U.S., Google is hoping that deeper integration with its ecosystem will make Gemini stand out.
