Gemini Users Report Mass Loss of Chat Histories Amid Gemini 3.1 Rollout

Over the past week, a growing number of Google Gemini users have reported the sudden and unexplained disappearance of months — in some cases, over a year — of private chat histories. The issue, first flagged by users on Reddit, Twitter, and tech forums, appears to coincide with the recent deployment of Gemini 3.1, Google’s latest AI update. While Google has publicly characterized the phenomenon as a "temporary technical glitch," affected users are demanding transparency, raising broader questions about data retention policies and the reliability of cloud-based AI interactions.

"I had over 400 conversations with Gemini, including detailed personal planning, medical research, and even therapy-like dialogues," said one user, who requested anonymity. "Now, it’s all gone. No warning, no backup option, no explanation. It feels like my digital diary was erased overnight."

According to reports from The Register, the issue began surfacing in late February 2026, shortly after Google quietly pushed Gemini 3.1 to its web and mobile platforms. The update, which introduced improved contextual memory and multi-turn reasoning capabilities, was marketed as a significant enhancement to user experience. However, instead of enhanced recall, many users experienced total data erasure. The Register noted that affected users spanned multiple regions and device types, suggesting a systemic rather than isolated issue.

Google’s official response, issued via its Gemini support blog, stated: "We are aware of an issue affecting chat history retention for some users following the Gemini 3.1 update. Our engineering team is actively investigating and expects to resolve the matter within 72 hours. No user data has been permanently deleted or compromised."

Yet, skepticism remains. Cybersecurity analyst Dr. Lena Torres of the Digital Rights Institute told reporters, "The language here is deliberately vague. ‘Not permanently deleted’ doesn’t mean it wasn’t lost due to flawed migration protocols. If the system is supposed to retain context across sessions, then the failure to preserve that context — especially without user consent — is a serious breach of trust."

Compounding the concern is the lack of user control. Unlike services such as ChatGPT or Claude, which allow users to toggle history retention or export conversations, Gemini offers no such options. The absence of a manual export function or cloud sync toggle leaves users entirely dependent on Google’s backend systems — systems that now appear unreliable.

Meanwhile, astrology sites like Astrology Answers have begun running tongue-in-cheek headlines such as "Gemini Season Brings Communication Chaos," referencing the zodiac sign’s association with duality and information exchange. While clearly unrelated to the technical issue, the coincidence has fueled online memes and viral commentary, further amplifying public scrutiny.

Legal experts are now advising users to document their losses for potential future claims. "If a user relied on Gemini for professional, medical, or legal advice — and that data is lost — there may be grounds for negligence," said privacy lawyer Marcus Chen. "This isn’t just a bug. It’s a design flaw with real-world consequences."

As of this writing, Google has not provided a timeline for data restoration, nor has it confirmed whether any backups exist. Users are encouraged to disable chat history in settings and export any critical information manually — though, for many, it’s already too late.

The incident underscores a growing tension in AI development: the promise of intelligent, persistent conversation versus the fragility of digital memory. For now, Gemini users are left wondering: if their conversations can vanish without a trace, how much can they really trust the AI they’ve come to rely on?