Google’s shoving more AI into its software and devices. Meet Gemini Spark, the new AI agent that’s like a 24/7 personal assistant. Google debuted the tool on Tuesday at its Google I/O developer conference.
We saw a demo of Gemini Spark in action, handling multistep tasks, like planning a block party. Gemini Spark counted RSVPs, followed up with those who hadn’t and created an RSVP tracker that automatically updates when new responses come in via Gmail.
Gemini Spark will be available to some testers this week and available in Beta for Google AI Ultra subscribers next week. There are also plans for Gemini Spark to be available as a Mac desktop app and, later, on Chrome for everyone.
The new AI agent sounds like a dream if you’re busy or overwhelmed by the thought of umpteen tasks on your to-do list. But ask yourself if you’re really OK with Google having access to all that information.
Access to all of your apps at once is a problem
The big question is, how can Google guarantee your personal data is safe and secure when giving Gemini Spark access to apps including (but not limited to) Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets and Google Maps? Google says these connections are turned off by default, but you can turn them on. And Google says Gemini Spark “does not read your emails indiscriminately.”
But when these connections are enabled, we still don’t know which information is being stored and shared for Gemini Spark to work. And while we hope that Gemini Spark sticks to only Google apps, what about other information stored on your device, like the guests’ phone numbers if they RSVP’d to that block party or their emails used for follow-ups? Despite the advanced security measures most AI tools promise, it’s only a matter of time before scams and data breaches occur.
Gemini Spark could watch your screen
Google says that Gemini Spark works in the background using Gemini 3.5 Flash and Antigravity. It will run even if your laptop and phone are turned off. Gemini Spark will run independently, but under your direction.
If it’s running in the background on its own, I’m concerned it’s watching my screen like a hawk to complete tasks independently. This makes me question how Google can guarantee my data is safe. Giving an AI agent permission to scan my Google Sheets and highlight important information may save me time, but imagine that data falling into the wrong hands for work or personal matters. That’s always a risk, but Gemini Spark feels like an invitation.
For instance, letting Gemini Spark order snacks for my son’s soccer game and having Instacart deliver them gives room for errors beyond too many oranges and juice boxes. Think about your payment information and addresses being used in the process while you sleep. There are too many risks to my personal data and devices. I’ll pass.
