# Google Started Training AI on Your Search Photos and Voice Recordings — Here's the Opt-Out > In June 2026, Google quietly expanded what it trains AI on — now including images from Google Lens, voice recordings from Search and Translate, and uploaded files. Here's what changed, which services are affected, and the two-step opt-out that most guides miss. **Author:** [Alex Lowe](https://theaicareerlab.com/about) — Founder, The AI Career Lab **Published:** 2026-07-14 **Canonical URL:** https://theaicareerlab.com/blog/google-search-media-ai-training-opt-out-2026 **Category:** industry-news **Tags:** data privacy, Google, Gemini, Google Lens, AI tools, privacy settings, 2026 ---> **TL;DR.** Google updated its privacy settings in June 2026 to include photos from Google Lens, voice recordings from voice search, and audio from Google Translate in the data it uses to train AI models. This is a separate setting from the Gemini "Keep Activity" toggle most people know about — turning off one doesn't turn off the other. The opt-out is buried in your Search Services History settings. Steps are below. --- Most Google users who care about AI privacy have already found the Gemini opt-out: turn off "Keep Activity" in Gemini settings, and your conversations aren't used for training. Job done, right? Not anymore. In June 2026, Google quietly expanded what it trains AI on — and this expansion covers data you didn't send to Gemini at all. ## What Google changed Google added a new category of data to its AI training pipeline: **saved media**. In its own policy language, "your saved media is also used to develop and improve Google services and technologies, including AI models." What counts as "saved media"? Here's what the updated Search Services settings actually cover: - **Photos from Google Lens** — images you take or upload to do a visual search ("what plant is this?", "who made this lamp?", reverse image lookups) - **Voice recordings from voice search** — audio clips from using the microphone button in the Google app or Search Live - **Google Translate audio** — voice recordings from translation practice sessions - **Other files uploaded through Search services** — images and documents submitted through Google's search tools The affected services include Google Search, Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News. ## Why this matters even if you've already opted out of Gemini This is a different data stream, with a different setting, that most guides haven't caught up to yet. The Gemini "Keep Activity" toggle — which you may have already disabled — only applies to your **Gemini conversations**. It has no effect on the media files and voice recordings you generate through Search services. Google maintains separate controls for these, and they're in a different section of your account settings. If you've done the Gemini opt-out but haven't checked Search Services History, Google may still be using your Lens photos, voice searches, and Translate recordings to improve its AI models. The practical consequence for professionals: if you use Google Lens to photograph client documents, whiteboard sketches, or physical samples for research purposes — or if you use voice search or Translate frequently for work — those interactions may now be in Google's training data unless you opt out. ## How to opt out — two paths The rollout is gradual, so what you see in your account settings depends on when your account received the update. ### Path A: If you see "Search Services History" in your settings 1. Go to [myaccount.google.com](https://myaccount.google.com) 2. Click **Data & Privacy** 3. Click **Manage your activity controls** 4. Find the **Search Services History** section 5. Uncheck **Save Media** (you can leave Search History enabled separately if you want) 6. Optionally, set an auto-delete interval — 3 months is the shortest available This separates your media-saving preference from your search history preference. You can keep search history on (for your own convenience) while preventing media from being retained and used for training. ### Path B: If you don't see "Search Services History" yet The new section hasn't reached your account yet. In the meantime: 1. Go to **Web & App Activity** in your activity controls 2. Uncheck **Include voice and audio activity** 3. Uncheck **Include Visual Search History** Check your settings again weekly — once your account receives the update, switch to Path A to get the more granular control. ## What this doesn't change A few things to keep in mind: **Your Gemini opt-out remains separate and still applies.** You don't need to re-do the Gemini settings because of this update. They control different data streams. To have full coverage, you want both turned off. **Business Workspace accounts are different.** If your work uses Google Workspace, your account operates under policies your organization's administrator controls — usually with stronger protections than personal accounts. This change primarily affects personal Google accounts. Confirm with your IT team if you're unsure. **Auto-delete isn't the same as no-training.** Setting the 3-month auto-delete window limits how long data is retained, but the data can still be used for training during that window. Only disabling "Save Media" prevents it from being retained for training in the first place. ## The bigger picture This is the third significant data-policy shift from major AI providers in under a year. Anthropic updated its consumer training defaults in August 2025 (Claude now trains on conversations by default). Google's Gemini expanded its AI integration in late 2025. And now this Search media expansion in June 2026. The pattern: each time a platform expands what it trains on, it does so by default — you stay opted in unless you act. Opting out works, but you have to know there's something to opt out of. For the full picture of which AI tools train on your data and how to turn each one off — including Claude and ChatGPT — see [Does AI Train on Your Data? Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini (2026)](/blog/does-ai-train-on-your-data). --- ## Sources - TechCrunch: [If you use Google, you're training its AI. Here's how to opt out.](https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/06/if-you-use-google-youre-training-its-ai-heres-how-to-opt-out/) (July 6, 2026) - Computerworld: [How to opt out of Google's new AI training default](https://www.computerworld.com/article/4183788/google-ai-training-opt-out.html) (July 2026) - ZDNet: [Google is training AI on even more of your data now, unless you opt out — here's how](https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-training-ai-on-more-of-your-data-now-unless-you-opt-out/) (July 2026) - Google: [Search Services History (activity controls)](https://myaccount.google.com/activitycontrols) ## Frequently asked questions ### Did Google change what data it trains AI on in 2026? Yes. In June 2026, Google updated its Search Services settings to include 'saved media' — photos from Google Lens, voice recordings from voice search and the Google app, audio from Translate practice sessions, and files uploaded through Search services — as data used to 'develop and improve Google services and technologies, including AI models.' This applies to Search, Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News. The change was announced via customer email and is rolling out to accounts progressively. ### I already turned off Gemini training. Am I covered? No — not for Search media. The Gemini 'Keep Activity' toggle only controls whether your Gemini conversations are used for training. The new Search Services media training is a completely separate setting. If you've only turned off Gemini training, Google can still use your Lens photos, voice searches, and Translate recordings to train AI. You need to turn off 'Save Media' in your Search Services History settings as well. ### How do I opt out of Google's Search media AI training? Go to your Google Account → Data & Privacy → Manage your activity controls. Look for a 'Search Services History' section and uncheck 'Save Media.' If you don't see that section yet (it's rolling out gradually), go to Web & App Activity, then uncheck 'Include voice and audio activity' and 'Include Visual Search History.' Check back weekly until the new interface appears. ### What types of data does this new Google policy cover? Google's new policy covers: photos you take with Google Lens (visual searches), audio from voice searches in the Google app and Search Live, voice recordings from Google Translate practice sessions, and other media files uploaded through Google's search services. It covers interactions across Search, Maps, Shopping, Flights, Hotels, Translate, and News. ### Does this affect business Google Workspace users? Google Workspace (business/enterprise) accounts have separate admin-controlled data policies that generally don't use your data for model training by default. This change primarily affects personal Google accounts using the free tier of Search and related services. If you're using a work Google account managed by your organization's IT team, check with them — the policy your account is under depends on how your workspace is configured. ### Can I set Google to auto-delete this media data? Yes. Google offers three auto-delete intervals for Search Services data: 3 months, 18 months, or 36 months. Setting auto-delete to 3 months limits how long this data is retained, though it doesn't prevent it from being used for training during that window — only turning off 'Save Media' does that. --- *Canonical version: https://theaicareerlab.com/blog/google-search-media-ai-training-opt-out-2026* *This document is the Markdown companion served for AI crawlers and answer engines. 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