Google offers a new option if you want to experiment with its advanced AI tools but don’t want to break the bank. The company has opened access to its AI Plus subscription to 35 new countries, including the United States. Google offers it as a basic upgrade for anyone who wants to get the most out of Gemini without having to rely on premium prices.
The new plan costs $8 and is only $4 per month for a limited time for the first two months. It’s significantly cheaper than the $20 AI Pro subscription, but its list of features makes a strong argument that it’s more than just a commitment plan. For many everyday users, this could represent a big payoff, a spot Google seems eager to fill as generative AI becomes more integrated into everyday tasks.
AI Plus includes 200GB of shared Google One storage, but it’s really about the AI experience. AI Plus unlocks what Google calls “expanded access” to Gemini 3 Pro, the company’s most advanced AI chatbot model, as well as the Nano Banana Pro image generator, comprehensive search for complex questions, and limited access to the Veo 3.1 rapid AI video creation model.
Users also receive 200 AI credits each month for Flow and Whisk, Google’s video creation platforms. Flow is designed to generate cinematic looks using Gemini and Veo, while Whisk takes still images and animates them using Veo’s video engine. In comparison, the free tier limits the use of AI and does not include some of the other features.
Even more important for many users is the way the subscription integrates AI into Google’s core apps. AI Plus offers Gemini features for Gmail, Docs, and Google Vids. It also increases the capacity of NotebookLM.
Twins everywhere
For anyone already paying for a $9.99/month Google One Premium plan, there’s better news: AI Plus will be added automatically at no additional cost. That means if you use the 2TB tier for photo and file storage, you’ll soon get full AI functionality. This is also clearly a move to bring more people into the Gemini ecosystem without them having to think twice about another subscription.
With AI Plus, Google appears to be targeting the casual artist who wants to spice up a birthday card or the student who wants to combine ten PDF files into a single study guide. AI Plus gives users enough AI firepower to consider these tools more as add-ons than devices. By adding Gemini to apps like Chrome and promising early access to new features, Google aims to make AI synonymous with Gemini.
Of course, the question arises as to whether most people are already willing to pay for AI. Unlike music or movies, AI subscriptions are still a relatively new concept for mainstream users.
Most people are used to Google being free, except perhaps when it comes to cloud storage. It may take some time to convince them that AI belongs on the same level as Netflix or Disney+.
