TECHNOLOGY

Gemini's New Privacy Update: What's the Big Deal?

USAThu Jun 26 2025
Google's Gemini chatbot is getting an update that's got people talking. The change lets Gemini access certain apps on your phone, even if your chat history is turned off. Sounds scary, right? But let's break it down. Before this update, Gemini could only use apps like Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities if you had your chat history saved. That meant Google could store your chats and use them to train its AI models. Now, you can use these features without saving your chat history. So, it's actually a step up for privacy. Google says this change is all about making Gemini more useful. They want it to replace Google Assistant on Android devices. That means Gemini needs to handle basic tasks like sending messages and making calls. The update starts rolling out on July 7. Some people thought this was a big privacy issue. But it's not as bad as it seems. Google says they won't review or use your chats to improve their AI if your Apps Activity is off. You can also turn off Gemini's connection to apps anytime you want. So, why all the fuss? Maybe it's because people are worried about AI and privacy. And that's a good thing. It's important to pay attention to how companies use your data. But in this case, the update seems to be a positive change.

questions

    Is Google using this update to secretly train its AI models on user data even when Apps Activity is off?
    If Gemini can make phone calls on your behalf, will it start prank calling your exes?
    How does this update affect the balance between user convenience and privacy?

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