Google unveiled plans at its annual I/O conference in Mountain View, California to put artificial intelligence into the hands of more web surfers, aiming to fend off competition from startups like OpenAI by offering AI subscriptions.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized delivering the best AI models at effective price points, with the Gemini app now boasting over 400 million monthly active users.
The big picture: In a significant update, Google introduced an “AI Mode” for Google Search in the U.S., offering computer-generated answers for complex queries as an alternative to traditional search results.
- Google launched an “AI Ultra Plan” costing $249.99 monthly, providing users with higher AI limits and early access to tools like Project Mariner and Deep Think, along with 30 terabytes of cloud storage and an ad-free YouTube subscription.
- The company also offers other subscription options with varying AI capabilities and cloud storage, having reported over 150 million subscribers across these plans.
Go deeper: Google has integrated AI into its search engine through AI Overviews and AI Mode, providing generative AI summaries and intensified AI responses to complex queries.
- Recent advancements in AI showcased by Google include real-time language translation in Google Meet and hardware innovations like Google Beam for enhanced video conferencing experiences.
- The company has been experimenting with monetization strategies for AI, such as inserting ads into AI Overviews and expanding revenue streams through services like Google One’s consumer subscriptions.
