Gemini AI caught accessing private Google Drive documents

Google’s Gemini AI has been discovered scanning PDF files on Google Drive without user consent, sparking concerns over AI safety and privacy. Senior Advisor Kevin Bankston revealed that the AI generated a summary of a private tax return without permission, raising significant privacy issues.

Bankston shared his struggles to disable the feature, which continued to operate despite attempts to find the correct controls. The difficulty in managing Gemini’s integration in Google Drive has led to questions about Google’s handling of user data and privacy settings.

Google previously assured users that Workspace data would not be used to train AI or target ads. However, this incident has raised doubts about data hygiene and privacy.

Bankston’s experience suggests that prior participation in Google Workspace Labs might have influenced Gemini’s behaviour, highlighting the need for better user control and consent as AI technology advances.