Gemini gets its biggest upgrade yet 'Personal Intelligence' that uses your Gmail, Photos, Search and YouTube history - and it could be our first glimpse of the new Siri in iOS 27

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Gemini gets its biggest upgrade yet 'Personal Intelligence' that uses your Gmail, Photos, Search and YouTube history - and it could be our first glimpse of the new Siri in iOS 27 News By John-Anthony Disotto published 14 January 2026

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Personal Intelligence, Gemini's biggest upgrade yet, is launching today, and it's one of the most significant AI innovations we've seen to date.

The new Google AI feature allows Gemini to tap into Google apps and pull from your personal data to get extra context from your queries.

Think of Personal Intelligence as a major next step for AI chatbots, allowing Gemini to securely access information from apps like Google Search, Gmail, Google Photos, and YouTube.

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Yeah, Gemini can already tap into apps, but this is different, and it sounds genuinely incredible. 'How is it different?' I hear you ask. Well, imagine asking Gemini for help with a car problem and the AI being able to directly access your purchase history from Gmail to know which car you own, access Photos to see when you last took it in for servicing, and access YouTube to see what solutions you've looked for already.

Personal Intelligence in Gemini sounds like the AI personal assistant lots of us have been waiting for, and if it lives up to Google's billing, then it could be a monumental moment for consumer AI.

Gemini Personal Intelligence starts rolling out today in beta to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers in the US. Google says the feature will be expanding to more countries and free users soon, as well as Search in AI Mode.

(Image credit: Google)

A first glimpse at iOS 27's Siri?

(Image credit: Apple / Shutterstock / mundissima)

It feels like a new AI feature is heralded as the 'next big thing' almost daily, but the examples Google has shared with the launch of Gemini's Personal Intelligence are genuinely impressive and exciting.

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One example shared was the ability for Gemini to find out what the best tyres are for the user's car without even knowing the model. Then Gemini could grab the licence plate number from Photos without even being instructed where to look.

Another example given was Gemini's new ability to create an itinerary for an upcoming trip like no AI chatbot has been able to do before. Instead of just linking the most popular places, Personal Intelligence uses all of the information it knows about you to suggest specific restaurants, things to do, and even what board games to play on the road.

Personal Intelligence looks like it could be Google's answer to the Siri Apple promised users back at WWDC 2025. Now, following the announcement of Apple and Google's major AI partnership, I wouldn't be surprised if this is our first glimpse at Siri in iOS 27, just without the Apple branding.

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Gemini is set to power the next generation of Siri, albeit without any Google branding, and that could mean just like when Gemini features launch on Pixel before a larger Android rollout, this could be an initial trial of Siri's upcoming capabilities before they get repackaged for iPhone.

Privacy at its core

When you hear about new AI features that tap into everything you do online, it's absolutely normal to question your privacy. But Google promises Personal Intelligence has been built with privacy at its core, allowing you to decide exactly how Gemini connects to the apps in question.

Google says Personal Intelligence is off by default, and Gemini only accesses the data to answer your specific requests. Because Personal Intelligence taps into other Google services, everything remains with Google, with no sensitive information sent to third parties.

Everything Personal Intelligence does will also come with a source, allowing you to see exactly how Gemini came up with the specific answer that it provides. This means if you realize that Gemini has access to niche personal information you didn't even know you had shared online, it can show exactly where it came from.

Personal Intelligence is also restricted by guardrails for sensitive topics, meaning Gemini will only seek information from sensitive data like health if you allow it to do so.

It's a very neat feature, and Google seems to be focused on making sure consumers feel safe sharing more personal data with Gemini than ever before. Google says Gemini won't train directly on your Gmail inbox or Google Photos library, so you can have peace of mind that your privacy remains secure.

How to turn on Personal Intelligence

So, you've got a glimpse of what Gemini is now able to offer thanks to Personal Intelligence, and you want to start using it straight away. Well, the good news is Personal Intelligence begins rolling out to eligible users in the US today.Personal Intelligence will work across Web, Android, and iOS, and is currently only available to personal Google accounts. Here's how you enable it:

1. Open Gemini and tap Settings
2. Tap Personal Intelligence
3. Select Connected Apps (Gmail, Photos, etc)

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TOPICS Apple Google AI John-Anthony DisottoSocial Links NavigationSenior Writer AI

John-Anthony Disotto is TechRadar's Senior Writer, AI, bringing you the latest news on, and comprehensive coverage of, tech's biggest buzzword. An expert on all things Apple, he was previously iMore's How To Editor, and has a monthly column in MacFormat. John-Anthony has used the Apple ecosystem for over a decade, and is an award-winning journalist with years of experience in editorial.

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