Gemini’s Personal Intelligence came to Android Auto on October 20. If you already turned it on in the Gemini app on your phone, it carries over to your car automatically. That means anyone in the passenger seat can say Hey Google and reach what Gemini knows about you.
Here is what the feature connects to, and how to trim it or switch it off before your next drive.
What Personal Intelligence in Android Auto can see
Personal Intelligence lets Gemini personalise its answers using your Google apps. According to 9to5Google and Android Police, it draws on these services:
- Gmail and Calendar
- Google Photos
- Google Maps
- YouTube and Search
Google says your apps stay disconnected until you choose to turn the feature on. It adds that you can switch it off at any time in Gemini settings.
Cars with Google built-in will get Personal Intelligence in the coming months. Google says those cars only share personal responses when you are in the car with your phone connected.
The feature is opt-in, which is the right default. The catch is that a choice you made in the Gemini app on your phone now also applies on the car screen. Passengers can use it there too.
How to turn off Personal Intelligence or trim connected apps
These steps come from Android Police as a privacy tune-up. They are its recommendations rather than Google’s, and menu names vary by phone.
- Open the Gemini app, tap Menu, then tap Settings & help.
- Tap Personal Intelligence. Turn off the main toggle to stop it entirely.
- To keep it but limit it, open Connected Apps on the same screen. Switch off any app you do not want Gemini drawing on.
The Android Police author switches off Google Workspace and Google Photos but keeps Maps and YouTube. Note that one Workspace switch covers Gmail, Drive and Calendar. Keep and Tasks sit under it as well.
Turning it off costs less than you might think. 9to5Google says navigation, music, calls and questions all still work. The answers are simply not personalised. Android Police’s Ben Khalesi puts it plainly:
Everything in the car still works without Personal Intelligence.
Retrain Voice Match
Android Police also recommends retraining Voice Match. In the Gemini app, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Talk to Gemini hands-free. Some phones call this Hey Google & Voice Match.
Stop text messages showing on the car screen
- Open Android Auto settings on your phone.
- Tap Notifications.
- Turn off Show message notifications and Notifications with Assistant.
Who can use Personal Intelligence
Google’s Gemini Help page says you must be 18 or over and use a personal Google Account. Work, school and supervised accounts are excluded. Personal Intelligence is not available in the European Economic Area, Nigeria, Switzerland or the UK.
For a wider look at what the assistant stores, Gemini’s Memory Summary lets you see and delete what it knows. If you linked other services, review Gemini’s Google Wallet connection too.
Sources: Google, Gemini Help, 9to5Google, Android Police
