(Bloomberg) — Alphabet Inc.’s Google is rolling out a new option to personalize search results by tapping user data from the tech giant’s other applications, its latest bid to keep ahead of competition from the likes of OpenAI.
The new feature, part of an offering called Personal Intelligence, will give people a choice to tailor results in the artificial intelligence-powered search mode by using data from their Gmail and Google Photos accounts. Those searching for a travel itinerary, for example, might find more relevant suggestions based on hotel bookings in their email and pictures from previous trips, Google said.
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It “transforms Search into an experience that feels uniquely yours by connecting the dots across your Google apps,” said Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google search, in a blog post.
Google, long dominant in online search, has faced new threats from artificial intelligence startups like OpenAI and Perplexity AI Inc., which offer alternative ways to look up information. But Google is also sitting on a unique trove of personal information on its users that can help differentiate its products. Last week, Google announced that its Gemini AI assistant can now proactively tap into users’ data across Gmail, Search, Photos and YouTube.
The Personal Intelligence feature is currently only available for paid Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. The company said it will not use information from Gmail or photos to train its AI models.
–With assistance from Carmen Arroyo.
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