Mostly no. Google says it doesn't use your Photos data to train AI models outside Google Photos (Google Photos privacy hub). The main exception is if you connect Photos to Gemini or other Google services.
That doesn't mean Google leaves your photos alone.
What Google does with your photos inside Photos
Google still analyses your library to run features in the app. Ask Photos, for example, uses your photos, face labels and account details. Google can also make guesses about you from your library, such as the age of people you photograph often and where they are (Google Photos privacy hub).
People at Google may also read the questions you type into Ask Photos, to improve the product. Google says it removes the link to your account first, and you can turn this off (Google Photos privacy hub).
What changes if you connect Photos to Gemini
The connection goes through Personal Intelligence. This Gemini feature launched in January 2026 and lets Gemini read your Google apps, including Gmail and Photos. It's opt-in, and you choose which apps it can use (Google).
Once Photos is connected, Google may train on summaries of your library, guesses drawn from it, and images generated from your photos. Google says it still won't train directly on the photos themselves (Google).
Since April 2026, Gemini can also make personalised images from your Photos library and face labels. For that feature, Google says it trains on some of your prompts and Gemini's replies (Google).
Your photos can now shape the ads you see
Google updated its privacy policy on 16 October 2026. The policy still says Google won't use your Photos content to target ads, but it now adds an exception: data you share with Google services that show ads can be used (Google Privacy Policy). The Verge reported that the old policy had no such exception.
For example, if you connect Photos to Personal Intelligence in Search, Search may use that data to personalise ads (Google).
How to turn off Google's AI features in Photos
- Turn off Gemini in Photos. In the Photos app, tap your profile picture and go to Photos settings > Preferences > Gemini features in Photos. Turn off Use Gemini in Photos. To turn off only Ask Photos, turn off Search with Ask Photos instead (Google).
- Stop people reading your questions. On the same screen, open Help us improve Photos and turn off Allow us to access your queries (Google).
- Turn off Face Groups. On a computer, go to photos.google.com/settings. Next to Group similar faces, click Show more and turn off Face Groups. This deletes your face groups, face models and labels (Google).
- Disconnect Photos from Gemini. In the Gemini app, open Connected Apps settings and remove Google Photos (Google).
A photos app that can't see your photos
Ente is a photos app with end-to-end encryption, so Ente can't see your photos (Ente).
Face recognition and search run on your own device. The search index is encrypted before it syncs, and no outside AI services are involved. Ente says your photos are never used to train AI, by Ente or anyone else (Ente).
To switch, follow Ente's Google Photos import guide, which uses Google Takeout. The Ente app can keep backing up new photos from your phone while the rest moves over.