Shark Tank star Lori Greiner issues safety warning to all Gmail users,
A Shark Tank star has issued a stark safety warning to Gmail users about a default setting enabling Google to scan ‘every single’ email.
Lori Greiner, famous for her investments in products like Scrub Daddy and Squatty Potty, posted a video on her Instagram, urging users to block Google’s AI in their accounts.
‘Google doesn’t want you to know this, but they’ve been allowing AI to scan every single one of your emails,’ she said, adding that it includes ‘financial documents, tax information and personal conversations.’
While Greiner claimed the AI is scanning emails without users’ knowledge, she provided steps to disable the technology ‘in like 30 seconds.’
There is a gear icon in the top right corner of Gmail accounts that takes users to ‘See all settings.’
Users click the option and scroll down until they find ‘Smart features and personalization.’ From there, users need to unclick ‘Turn on smart features in Gmail, Chat and Meet’ and turn it off.
Then, under Smart features in other Google Products, make sure Smart features in Google Workplace and Smart features in other Google Products are toggled off.
‘Once you’ve done that, just click save changes, and you’re all set,’ Greiner said. ‘Your emails are now protected from AI scanning, and Google cannot access your personal information anymore.’
Lori Greiner, famous for her investments in products like Scrub Daddy and Squatty Potty, posted a video on her Instagram, urging users to block Google’s AI in their accounts
Greiner’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $150 million to $250 million as of early this year. Known as the ‘Queen of QVC’ and a mainstay ‘Shark’ on Shark Tank since 2012, she has built her fortune through product invention, patent licensing and successful investments.
‘If you have a Gmail account, do not ignore this warning,’ she said in the video.
Google’s AI Gemini is designed to scan Gmail messages by default, allowing it to provide features like email summarization, smart replies and searching.
While Google states this data is not used to train Gemini without permission, the system does analyze content to improve user experience.
When asked for comment, a Google spokesman directed the Daily Mail to a blog post about the topic, which says Gmail users should not worry about their personal data being used to train its artificial intelligence systems.
The company stated that its AI models, including Gemini, are not trained on users’ private emails, emphasizing that personal messages remain separate from its broader technology development.
According to Google, when users choose to use Gemini within Gmail, the tool only accesses emails for specific, one-time tasks, such as summarizing long messages.
The company said this access is temporary and limited strictly to completing the requested action.
Greiner’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $150 million to $250 million as of early 2026. Known as the ‘Queen of QVC,’ she has been a mainstay on Shark Tank since 2012
Google also said Gemini does not store or retain user data after a task is completed. Instead, the system is designed to process information within the inbox and then immediately stop accessing it once the request is finished.
The tech giant maintains that users remain in control of their information, with inbox content staying private even when AI-powered features are enabled.
Blake Barnes, vice-president of product for Gmail, said the company has built the system to operate securely within users’ accounts, ensuring that personal data is not kept or reused beyond the immediate task.
