Google’s new Antigravity code editor promises a revolution where AI agents write and test code for you, but the fine print reveals a potential privacy nightmare. This review uncovers buried terms in the terms and conditions that allow Google staff to view your proprietary code and hold you fully liable if the AI autonomously destroys your work making it essential reading before you click “Accept”.

Furthermore, Google Antigravity, the new “Agent-First” Integrated Development Environment (IDE) located at antigravity.google appears to be a modification of Microsoft’s VS Code IDE designed to allow AI agents to write, test, and execute code autonomously. However, before integrating this tool into a workflow, it is crucial to examine the License Agreement.

A dark, futuristic image for a tech review. A curved computer monitor displays the Google Antigravity IDE interface with lines of code. Above the screen, a glowing circuit pattern connects to a large Google 'G' logo, symbolizing the flow of AI data. In the foreground, a transparent tablet features the words "TERMS OF SERVICE" next to a magnifying glass and a tag reading "REVIEW," emphasizing the post's focus on the license agreement.

Below is an analysis of the terms of service and an overview of what developers should know before clicking “Accept.”

The Agreement: Summary

The following is a simplification of the legal text presented during the installation process:

  • The Combined Terms: By accepting this agreement, you agree to the Google Universal Terms, the Privacy Policy, the Generative AI Terms, and the specific Antigravity terms.
  • Data Collection and Deletion: Google records your usage, interaction data, and metadata while the service is running. Unlike many modern services that offer a “delete data” button, this agreement stipulates that if you wish to delete your data, you must manually send an email to their support team.
  • User Liability: The AI Agents in this IDE can perform actions autonomously. The terms state that you are solely responsible for these actions. If the Agent deletes a database or compromises a system, Google accepts no liability.
  • Human Review: The agreement grants Google employees and contractors the right to view and review your interactions to improve their machine learning models, unless you explicitly change your settings.

Areas of Concern for Developers

For hobbyists, these terms may be acceptable. However, for professional developers or enterprise users, there are specific clauses that require attention:

  1. Human Review of Code (Clause 5): The agreement explicitly states that “Google employees and contractors may access, view, review and use Interactions.” This implies that proprietary code or sensitive data entered into the IDE could potentially be viewed by human reviewers at Google. Developers working with sensitive Intellectual Property must check their settings immediately to opt out of this data usage.
  2. Liability for Autonomous Actions (Clause 4): Antigravity differs from previous AI tools because it is “Agentic.” It can execute shell commands and modify files without constant supervision. The Terms explicitly shift all liability to the user. If the Agent executes a destructive command (such as rm -rf /) or pushes secrets to a public repository, it is legally considered the user’s negligence.
  3. Data Deletion Friction (Clause 3): The requirement to email antigravity-support@google.com to request data deletion adds significant friction to the process. This differs from the standard privacy controls found in many other SaaS products where data management is automated.

Perks and Advantages

Despite the strict terms, the service offers capabilities that distinguish it from competitors:

  • Goal-Oriented AI: Unlike GitHub Copilot, which primarily suggests code completions as you type, Antigravity utilizes “Goal-Oriented AI.” A user can define a high-level objective (e.g., “create a login page”), and the Agent attempts to handle the file creation, coding, and testing autonomously.
  • Artifact Generation: The system generates “Artifacts,” which include plans, logs, and summaries. This allows the user to audit exactly what steps the AI took to achieve a result, addressing the “black box” issue common in generative AI.
  • Google Ecosystem Integration: For developers already utilizing Google Cloud Platform or Gemini, the integration appears to be deeper than what is available in third-party extensions.

Comparison: Antigravity vs. Standard IDEs

The following comparison highlights the differences between Google Antigravity, a standard VS Code installation, and a traditional text editor like Notepad++.

Feature Notepad++ VS Code (Standard) Google Antigravity
Privacy Profile High. No data leaves the local machine. Medium. Telemetry exists, but Microsoft does not read code content by default. Low. Default terms allow human review of interactions.
AI Capability None. Assistive. (Copilot/IntelliSense) suggests lines or blocks. Autonomous. (Agents) can plan, execute, and run terminal commands.
User Control The user types every character. The user types; the AI assists. The user manages; the AI executes.

Noteworthy Observations and Implications

Beyond the standard terms, there are several implications developers should consider:

  • The Pricing Strategy: The download page currently lists the software as a “Free Public Preview.” However, it also displays a pricing section where “Paid” and “Enterprise” tiers are listed as “Coming Soon.” This suggests that the current free access is temporary and likely intended to gather training data and user feedback before a subscription model is enforced.
  • The Underlying Architecture: This appears to be a fork of Visual Studio Code. Users are essentially trading the privacy and control of a local VS Code installation for the convenience of Google’s integrated AI agents.
  • Support Structure: The reliance on an email address (antigravity-support@google.com) for critical functions like data deletion suggests that the support infrastructure is still in an early stage. Users should not expect enterprise-grade support capabilities during this preview phase.

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The Official License Text

For transparency, the full text of the agreement follows below. You can also view the official page here: https://antigravity.google/terms.

Google Antigravity Additional Terms of Service

BY CLICKING “I ACCEPT,” SIGNING AN ORDER FORM THAT REFERENCES THESE TERMS OF SERVICE, OR BY DOWNLOADING, INSTALLING, OR OTHERWISE ACCESSING OR USING THE GOOGLE ANTIGRAVITY SERVICES (HEREIN REFERRED TO AS THE “SERVICE”), YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD, AND, AS A CONDITION TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY, THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

  1. All of the following documents govern your use of the Service: a. the Google Terms of Service (the “Universal Terms”) - https://policies.google.com/terms; b. these Google Antigravity Additional Terms of Service (the “Google Antigravity Terms”); c. the Google Privacy Policy (the “Privacy Policy”) - https://policies.google.com/privacy; and d. the Generative AI Additional Terms of Service - https://policies.google.com/terms/generative-ai.

  2. Please read each of the above documents carefully, starting with the Universal Terms. Collectively, we refer to the Universal Terms, these Google Antigravity Terms, the Privacy Policy, and the Generative AI Terms of Service as the “Agreement.” This Agreement is a binding contract between you and Google regarding your use of the Service. If you do not agree to all Agreement terms, do not use the Service.

  3. When you use the Service, we record and store your user data, interaction data pertaining to your usage of the Service, related metadata connected to the Service, and any feedback you provide (“Interactions”). Such data may be aggregated over multiple users, and will be collected only when you have the Service running. You will have the option to delete your Interactions. If you would like to request that your Interactions be deleted, you can email antigravity-support@google.com. Note that such Interactions will be used in accordance with the terms of this Agreement unless and until you request deletion in accordance with the previous sentence.

  4. The Service includes goal-oriented AI systems or workflows that perform actions or tasks on your behalf in a supervised or autonomous manner that you may create, orchestrate, or initiate within the Service (“AI Agents”). You are solely responsible for: (a) the actions and tasks performed by an AI Agent; (b) determining whether the use an AI Agent is fit for its use case; (c) authorizing an AI Agent’s access and connection to data, applications, and systems; and (d) exercising judgment and supervision when and if an AI Agent is used in production environments to avoid any potential harm the AI Agent may cause.

  5. We use Interactions to evaluate, develop, and improve Google and Alphabet research, products, services and machine learning technologies. Interactions are collected and used in accordance with this Agreement and the Privacy Policy. Google employees and contractors may access, view, review and use Interactions. If you don’t want your Interactions used in this way, navigate to settings to change your preference on how such data is used.

Side note: It is worth mentioning that if you visit antigravity.tech, you will find a startup specializing in drone technology. While they rank highly in search results, they are unrelated to the subject of this post. I wonder if they notice a surge in their web traffic and wonder what that’s all about?