An alert of significance has been issued to numerous Gmail users, prompting attention for those concerned about artificial intelligence scanning their emails. The recent cautionary message was shared online by American TV personality and entrepreneur Lori Greiner.

Over the weekend, the Shark Tank star posted a notice on Instagram urging Gmail account holders to be vigilant and share the information with friends and family to enhance their protection. The advisory stems from Google’s introduction of new AI features intended to analyze emails for functions such as smart searches, contextual responses, and email summaries. While Google asserts that it does not read messages for personal use, Greiner remains apprehensive.

In her Instagram post, the celebrity emphasized the need for Gmail users to heed the warning, revealing that AI algorithms are actively scanning all email contents, including financial documents, tax details, and personal conversations without the users’ knowledge.

For individuals alarmed by this revelation, there is a straightforward solution to disable this feature. Greiner reassured users that they can deactivate AI scanning in Gmail within 30 seconds by following a few simple steps.

To disable AI features in Gmail, users should navigate to Settings, select “see all settings,” and locate the option for “Smart features.” By deactivating smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet, users can prevent Google from scanning their messages. Additionally, users can manage Workspace Smart Features to further restrict AI data usage by unchecking the relevant boxes.

Google maintains that personal data is safeguarded and inaccessible to its team or third parties. The tech giant clarified that its AI models, such as Gemini, do not train on users’ personal emails and only access information for specific tasks, ensuring user privacy.

While Google assures the security of users’ data, individuals wary of AI technology may opt to disable smart features in Gmail as an added precaution.