The new Daily Brief feature for Gemini from Google is quite fascinating yet a bit unsettling. Until recently, it was only accessible through a paid subscription, but now it’s available for everyone. So, how do you ensure it isn’t already collecting your private information?
Daily Brief is a recent addition to the Google Gemini app. Every morning, it scours through the information stored in your Google apps to create a personalized agenda, complete with tasks, reminders, and events just for you.
Once Daily Brief is activated, Gemini can sift through data in various Google apps to find relevant info.
When I tried out Daily Brief earlier, I found it a bit contradictory. For those who are embedded in the Google ecosystem, it serves as a useful reminder for things you might have forgotten—like a loved one’s birthday or a follow-up on an email you sent. However, if you don’t use Google frequently, it’s likely not worth much.
The more data Gemini absorbs from your Google apps, the more tailored the brief becomes. However, this also means Google collects more information about you for its AI systems.
Daily Brief is a core part of the Gemini experience, meaning it’s not limited to Google’s Pixel series or even Android devices. It’s accessible on iOS and the web too, which broadens its potential audience to anyone with a Google account. The ultimate aim seems to be getting users to depend on Gemini, steering them away from competitors like ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok.
Originally, Daily Brief was a paid feature when it launched in May, but now it’s free for everyone. Thus, when Daily Brief is activated, Gemini can automatically search through personal and private information in your Google apps without any cost.
But is it already browsing through your data?
In short, no. Google was smart to keep Daily Brief off by default unless manually activated, so it shouldn’t be collecting data unless you set it up yourself. Still, if you’re curious or want to ensure it’s completely off, it’s worth double-checking.
To see how Daily Brief is set up, open the Gemini app on any platform—Android, iOS, or web. On mobile, tap your profile picture in the upper right corner, go to “Personal Intelligence,” and scroll down to find “Daily Brief.”
To prevent Gemini from scanning your data for upcoming briefs, just toggle the switch to turn it off so it appears grayed out. On the other hand, if you’re interested in trying Daily Brief, make sure to toggle it on so it lights up blue.
If you decide against using Daily Brief, you’re all set—it will be turned off and won’t access your data any longer.
If you chose to enable it, go back to the initial screen in the Gemini app. Tap the hamburger menu in the top left and select “Daily Brief” from the options. This is where your Daily Briefs will be stored.
Each morning you’ll get a notification with your new brief outlining the tasks for the day and the week ahead. If notifications seem excessive, tap the three dots at the top right and toggle off the notifications switch. This way, you can still access your Daily Brief without constant reminders.
Ultimately, whether you want to keep Daily Brief for its handy features or disable it for privacy reasons is completely up to you. Adjusting the settings is straightforward if you change your mind later.
