If you use Google, you’re training its AI. Here’s how to opt out.

Google’s latest privacy update expands the amount of user‑generated media that is automatically stored to train its artificial intelligence models, raising concerns for anyone who relies on its services.

What the update changes

The new policy means that photos, videos, voice recordings, and other personal content uploaded to Google accounts may be retained and used to improve products like Search, Assistant, and Bard, unless users explicitly opt out.

Google frames this as a way to “enhance the relevance and accuracy of AI‑driven features,” but the shift also broadens the scope of data that can be fed into large‑scale models.

How to opt out of data collection

Users can prevent their media from being used for AI training by adjusting settings in their Google Account. The steps are:

• Open myaccount.google.com and sign in.
• Navigate to Data & privacy > History settings.
• Select Web & App Activity and turn off “Include voice and audio recordings.”
• Scroll to Personalization and disable “Use your data to improve Google services.”

After toggling these options, Google will stop storing new media for AI training, though previously collected data may remain unless a separate deletion request is made.

Additional privacy tools

Google also offers a Download your data tool, allowing users to export and delete existing content. For more granular control, the Activity controls page lets you pause specific types of data, such as location history or YouTube watch history.

If you use Google Workspace or a managed account, your administrator may set organization‑wide policies that affect data retention, so check with your IT department for any additional steps.

“Opting out is a simple but essential step for anyone who wants to keep their personal media private while still using Google’s services,” said a privacy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Read the report Source coverage.