Google has issued a warning to its 1.8 billion Gmail users worldwide about a new cybersecurity threat that uses artificial intelligence to steal sensitive information. The company said the risk comes from indirect prompt injections, a form of attack that can trick AI systems into exposing passwords or carrying out unauthorized actions.
Unlike direct prompt injections, where attackers input harmful commands directly into an AI tool, indirect attacks hide malicious instructions in external sources such as emails, documents, or calendar invites. When the AI processes this hidden data, it can unknowingly follow the harmful instructions.
“With the rapid adoption of generative AI, a new wave of threats is emerging across the industry,” Google stated, adding that the risk increases as AI becomes part of both personal and professional tasks.
Cybersecurity experts explained that attackers are targeting Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot, by embedding harmful code in emails. Technology analyst Scott Polderman said, “The danger is that people don’t need to click on anything. Hidden instructions can cause the AI to reveal passwords and other data, effectively turning the system against itself.”
To counter this, Google has begun rolling out stronger protections. These include improvements to its Gemini 2.5 model, new machine learning tools to detect suspicious prompts, and additional system-level safeguards. According to the company, these changes are designed to make attacks more difficult and costly, forcing cybercriminals to use less sophisticated methods that are easier to detect.
The warning reflects growing global concerns about how artificial intelligence can be misused for malicious purposes. Experts caution that as AI becomes more deeply integrated into essential services such as email and productivity tools, users must be more vigilant about potential risks.
Google stressed that it is committed to strengthening defences against evolving cyber threats and ensuring the safety of billions of Gmail users worldwide.
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