Google Gemini rolls out ‘Temporary Chat' and ‘Personal Context' features to personalise AI conversations

Mint

14 hours ago

Google is shaping Gemini into something more than a chatbot. The goal is to build an assistant that feels familiar and responsive, the one that gets to know you over time. With the new personal context feature, Gemini starts to do just that. It can now recall details you have shared before, like your preferences or past conversations, and use that knowledge to reply in a way that feels more considered and personal.
In the past, only paid users could ask Gemini to recall older conversations. But now, with this new memory system, Gemini can automatically keep helpful details in mind as long as you turn the feature on. This makes each chat feel more natural, like talking to someone who already knows your style and what matters to you.
Along with the personal chat feature Google has introduced a new feature called Temporary Chat. This lets you start a conversation where nothing gets saved or remembered, giving you a private space for one time questions or sensitive topics to discuss.
Temporary Chat gives you a space where nothing is stored once you're done. You can ask what you need, get the answer, and move on without leaving anything behind. It works well for quick tasks, personal planning, or any moment you'd rather keep off the record.
It could be checking a medical concern, getting legal guidance, or working through a budget. It's just as helpful when you're on a borrowed phone, sharing a device, or simply want the conversation to stay between you and the screen.
Now Gemini is starting to remember things. Say you have mentioned you usually start work at eight or that you prefer vegetarian meals. A week later, Gemini brings that up in a response like it never forgot. That is the idea behind Personal Context. It remembers just enough to make the next conversation feel a little more familiar.
There is nothing over the top about it. No pop ups reminding you of past chats. No summaries of what you said two days ago. It just listens in the background and tries to be more useful the next time you ask something. You notice it not because it announces anything, but because you didn't have to say the same thing twice.
You are always in control of this memory. You can choose to turn it off at any time. You can also review what Gemini has remembered and delete specific details or clear everything if you prefer a fresh start. This gives users a level of privacy and control that is increasingly important as AI assistants grow more capable.
Gemini is also getting small but meaningful changes around privacy and data settings. The 'Gemini Apps Activity' section is now called 'Keep Activity,' with the option to allow saved conversations to help improve Google services. Users who had this setting off will continue with it off by default, and it can be turned on or off anytime.
There is also a separate toggle to decide if audio, video or screen shares made through the mic button or Gemini Live can be used to improve services. This setting is off by default, giving users more control over what gets shared.