rollout will be gradual over the coming months, and some users may still see older Web & App Activity controls.

The policy update was introduced quietly as demand for fresh training data grows.

Related regulatory notes mention a separate AI law in Ukraine under consideration, signaling global scrutiny of AI data practices.

Google has quietly updated Search Services to allow saved media from user interactions to be used to train and improve its AI models, with an opt-out option for users.

The data collection spans images, files, audio, and video tied to interactions across Google’s search products, but excludes personal Photos from Google Photos.

Users can opt out by disabling Search Services History and Save Media separately and choosing deletion intervals of three, 18, or 36 months.

The change has drawn attention after TechCrunch flagged it as a quiet July 2026 update, with regulators and consumer advocates scrutinizing default-on AI data practices.

Industry context shows other companies auditing and limiting AI data usage amid debates on data control and consent for training.

This move mirrors a broader trend of using user data for training AI, often with default-on opt-out structures that critics say are hard to disable.

The policy raises privacy concerns and ties into legal challenges over AI copyright, highlighting uncertainty around training data even after opting out.

Users worry the data collection is extensive and may not justify the privacy tradeoffs.

PYMNTS is cited as the source of the policy changes, noting ongoing competition among tech firms to build capable generative AI.