How to Stop Google From Training AI on Your Gmail Emails

If you have a Gmail account, there is a good chance Google has been quietly using your emails to train its artificial intelligence models. A recent lawsuit has brought this practice into the open, and many users are now learning for the first time that they can opt out. Here’s what you need to know and how to change the setting.

What happened

In January 2026, Google was hit with a proposed class-action lawsuit over a hidden setting that allows the company to use Gmail content for AI training. The lawsuit alleges that the setting was enabled by default and not clearly disclosed to users. TechRepublic reported that as many as 1.8 billion Gmail users could be affected. Google has not publicly confirmed that number, but the scale is undeniably global.

The setting in question falls under Google’s broader “Gemini” AI initiative. When turned on, it gives Google permission to analyze the text of your emails to improve its machine learning models. This goes beyond the usual scanning for spam or phishing — it means your personal correspondence could be used to teach AI how to write, summarize, or even generate content that looks like it came from you.

Why it matters

Even if you are not especially worried about privacy, there are several reasons to pay attention. First, the data used can include sensitive information—medical details, financial discussions, or personal conversations you would not want a third party to examine. Second, once your data is used to train a model, it is very difficult to remove its influence. Google says it anonymizes data before training, but privacy advocates argue that anonymization is not always reliable.

The legal case itself is still early, and it is not clear how a court will rule. But the mere existence of the lawsuit suggests that many users feel they were not given a fair choice. The safest course is to check your own settings and decide for yourself.

How to check and opt out

The setting is available on both the web and mobile versions of Gmail. Here is where to find it.

On a desktop or laptop

  1. Open your Gmail account in a browser.
  2. Click the gear icon in the top right and select “See all settings.”
  3. Go to the “General” tab (it should be the default).
  4. Scroll down to the section labeled “Google AI” or “Gemini in Gmail.” The exact label may vary.
  5. Look for an option that says something like “Allow Google to use your Gmail content to train AI models.” It may be toggled on by default.
  6. Switch it off and click “Save Changes” at the bottom.

On the Gmail mobile app (Android or iOS)

  1. Tap the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top left.
  2. Scroll down and tap “Settings.”
  3. Select the account you want to adjust.
  4. Look for “Google AI” or “AI training” under the account settings. If you do not see it, tap “General” first.
  5. Toggle the switch to off.

Note: The exact location of the setting can change as Google updates its interface. If you cannot find it using these steps, try searching Gmail’s help pages for “AI training” or “Gemini.”

What happens if you opt out

Turning off the setting means your emails will not be used to train new AI models going forward. Google has said it will not retroactively remove data that was already used, but it will stop collecting new data for that purpose. Your regular spam filtering and other core Gmail features will continue to work normally. The only thing you lose is the potential for future AI improvements that rely on your specific data.

Additional privacy steps

If you want to go further, consider reviewing your Google Account’s privacy settings more broadly. For instance, you can turn off “Web & App Activity,” which tracks your searches and browsing. You can also delete past activity and set auto-delete for future data. None of this will break Gmail, but it will reduce the amount of information Google collects about you.

Sources

  • TechRepublic: “1.8 Billion Gmail Users May Want to Check This AI Privacy Setting” (May 2026)
  • TechRepublic: “Google Faces Gmail Lawsuit Over Hidden AI Training Settings” (January 2026)

These reports are based on the lawsuit filings and Google’s own documentation. As with any emerging legal story, details may change as the case progresses.