New Update: Google’s Gemini AI Assistant to Access WhatsApp and Phone Apps on Android, Sparking Privacy Concerns

On Tuesday, Google reportedly sent emails to certain Android users indicating that the Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) assistant will soon engage with various on-device applications, regardless of whether this feature is activated. Numerous users have posted screenshots of these emails on social media, where the tech company from Mountain View noted that this change will be implemented automatically starting July 7. The wording of the email has sparked some confusion, as the company stated that users could disable the feature, yet did not provide instructions on how to do so.

Multiple Users Claim to Have Received Google’s Email

Tipster CID posted screenshots of the email on X (previously Twitter), unveiling Google’s intentions for changes following July 7. Other users also shared images of these emails on social media posts and forums, which were originally identified by Android Authority. Interestingly, staff members from Gadgets 360 have not received such an email.

Screenshots of the email purportedly sent by Google’s Gemini team
Image Credit: X/@starshinescal

The email is titled, “We’ve simplified Gemini’s interaction with your device.” It explains that the company is modifying how its AI assistant interacts with a selection of applications, including the Phone app, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities.

A concerning aspect of the email states that Gemini will interact with these apps “regardless of whether your Gemini Apps Activity is activated or not.” Gemini Apps refers to the rebranded extensions that enable the AI assistant to perform tasks across both first-party and third-party applications. Until now, users have been able to access the Apps settings in Gemini to manage which apps they wish to connect with the chatbot.

The way Google has phrased this suggests that users may not have a choice regarding Gemini‘s ability to gather data from these applications, which raises privacy issues. While Google Assistant could also collect similar data, the potential risks with AI models accessing it lie in the ambiguity surrounding how this data might be processed, stored, and utilized by the company.

The email later states that if users prefer not to use these functionalities, they can disable them in the Apps settings. This part is puzzling for two reasons: it contradicts the previous statement made by Google, and it fails to specify how users can actually disable the feature.

As previously mentioned, the only current method to limit access to these applications is to go to the Apps section within the Gemini app. Nonetheless, the company has indicated that the feature will remain functional regardless of this setting.

It is possible that this email was only distributed to beta testers, who might gain new options for disabling these interaction features with the update on July 7, but we cannot verify this due to insufficient information. The tech giant has not issued any official statements on this matter.