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How to Change AI Search Settings for Citations, Personalization, and Privacy

A practical guide to the separate controls for AI search sources, personalization, saved activity, Memory, and model improvement in Google Search and ChatGPT.

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AI search settings are split across different controls: source preferences affect which publishers Google highlights, personalization changes how results are tailored, and history or model-improvement settings govern separate data uses. In ChatGPT, citations are something to inspect in a search response—not a universal setting you can switch on for every answer. This guide covers the documented controls in Google Search and ChatGPT; exact menus and availability can vary by account, device, and rollout.

How to see sources in AI search

ChatGPT Search: open citations and the Sources panel

To start a web search in ChatGPT, open a conversation and choose View all tools > Search, then enter and send your question. You can also type / and choose Search. ChatGPT may search automatically when a question would benefit from current information. Search-grounded responses may show citations; OpenAI does not document a general preference that forces citations to appear on every answer. OpenAI’s ChatGPT Search guide explains the feature.

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When a response includes a citation, select it to open the source. Choose Sources, when that option is available, to review cited sources and other relevant links. The panel’s availability depends on the response and client, so its absence does not by itself mean that a general citations setting is disabled.

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Google Search: prefer sources, rather than force citations

Google’s Preferred Sources setting lets you influence which sources are prominent in AI Mode, AI Overviews, and Top Stories. In Google Search or the Google app, select your profile icon, then go to Search personalization > Source preferences. Search for sources and select the ones you want to prefer. Google notes that sources that do not update regularly may not be offered. When you are signed in, saved preferences carry across browsers where you sign in to the same account. See Google’s Preferred Sources instructions.

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Preferred Sources changes source prominence; it is not a guarantee that a particular source will appear in every answer or that every answer will show citations.

How to change personalization in ChatGPT

Check Memory’s role in search

ChatGPT Memory can affect the query sent to Search. If Memory is on, ChatGPT may use relevant saved memories to rewrite a query before searching—for example, using remembered preferences and location to refine a nearby restaurant search. This changes query construction, not which citations are displayed. Review the ChatGPT Search documentation for how search and Memory interact.

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Use an unpersonalized Temporary Chat when appropriate

To start a temporary interaction, open a new chat, select Temporary, and choose Personalized or Unpersonalized before sending your first message. Unpersonalized Temporary Chat does not use Memory, custom instructions, or plugins. Neither type creates or updates memories while temporary. OpenAI may retain a copy for up to 30 days for safety purposes. Saving a temporary chat converts it into a regular chat governed by your account’s usual settings. Details are in OpenAI’s Temporary Chat guide.

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How to change personalization in Google Search

Turn Personalized Recommendations on or off

Google documents this route: Google Account > Data & privacy > Personalization settings > Personalized Recommendations in Search services. Google also provides the direct destination google.com/search-personalization. The controls are rolling out over several months, so you may not see the same labels or path yet. If the new controls are absent, Google says Search Services History may still be controlled through Web & App Activity. Its recommendation settings help and personalization help describe the options.

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Turning Personalized Recommendations off stops that recommendation personalization; it does not pause or erase Search Services History or other Google Account activity. It also does not remove saved addresses, collections, or other preferences. Google says functional factors such as location, language, device, and the current query can still tailor results—for example, a search for “pizza near me.” To manage retained activity, use the separate history controls and review deletion or auto-delete options.

How to stop search activity from being saved or used for model improvement

Google Search Services History

Google’s Search Services History controls are separate from Personalized Recommendations. Google says this history may include searches, information from sites visited with Search services, generative AI responses, and general location. Depending on settings, it may also include images, files, and audio or video from interactions. Google says it may use the history to provide, develop, and improve services, including training generative AI models. According to Google, future activity is not used to train those models when Search Services History is off unless you provide feedback.

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Google also says history data is disconnected from the account before training or human review, and that it seeks permission before sharing media with service providers for human review as part of model improvement. These are Google’s descriptions of its practices, not an independent privacy guarantee. For the controls and details, see Google’s Search Services History help.

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ChatGPT model improvement

For a signed-in personal account, go to Settings > Data controls > Improve the model for everyone and turn the setting off to prevent new conversations from being used for model improvement. OpenAI says the setting applies across devices for that signed-in account. Turning it off does not remove or hide saved chats. The controls available to you may depend on sign-in status, plan, and workspace settings; consult OpenAI’s Data controls guide for the current details.

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Model improvement and personalization are different controls. OpenAI puts it this way: “Memory controls how ChatGPT personalizes responses. Model-training controls determine whether eligible content can be used to improve OpenAI models.” Changing the model-improvement setting does not itself turn off Memory.

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Google AI Mode Personal Intelligence: requirements and scope

Google’s documented AI Mode Personal Intelligence uses saved Search Services History and requires users to be at least 18, with both Search Services History and Personalized Recommendations enabled. Google describes a memory feature that lets users ask AI Mode to remember, forget, summarize, or update preferences; this documented memory experience is available in the United States, in English.

Connecting Google content apps is optional. Google says the integrations begin with Workspace apps (Gmail and Calendar) and Google Photos. If connected, Search services are permitted to access Workspace and Photos, expanding the personal context available to them. Check Google’s AI Mode Personal Intelligence help for the current requirements and availability.

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Choose the control that matches your goal

Goal Control to use What it changes—and what it does not
Inspect where a ChatGPT search answer came from Open a displayed citation or select Sources, when available Lets you review cited sources and links; it does not force citations on every answer.
Influence sources highlighted by Google Search personalization > Source preferences Tailors source prominence in AI Mode, AI Overviews, and Top Stories; it does not control saved activity.
Reduce Google Search recommendation personalization Personalized Recommendations in Search services Changes recommendation personalization; it does not pause or erase Search Services History.
Manage Google Search activity retention and related use Search Services History and its activity/deletion controls Addresses stored history separately from recommendation personalization; Google describes potential service-improvement and model-training uses.
Prevent eligible new ChatGPT conversations from model improvement Improve the model for everyone in Data controls Changes model-improvement eligibility, not saved chat visibility or Memory.
Avoid using ChatGPT Memory or custom instructions for a temporary interaction Choose Unpersonalized in a new Temporary Chat Does not use Memory, custom instructions, or plugins; OpenAI may retain a copy for up to 30 days for safety.

Settings can have different scopes: a single response, a Search service, or an account. Before changing one, identify whether your goal is to inspect sources, change personalization, limit history retention, or control model improvement; these are not interchangeable outcomes.

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