Google is tightening boundaries around its AI services: Starting in October, subscribers to the AI Plus plan will no longer have access to the more capable Gemini Pro models. Going forward, the company will strictly require the more expensive AI Pro subscription to use this model lineup.
AI Plus loses access to Gemini Pro
For paying customers on the entry-level tier, this change represents a noticeable reduction in functionality. Users paying at least €4.99 per month for the AI Plus subscription previously had access to the Pro version of the Gemini models as well. In the future, only the smaller language models, Flash-Lite and Flash, will be available in this plan. Anyone who wants to continue working with Gemini Pro will inevitably have to upgrade to the AI Pro plan.
Users without a paid subscription are also affected by changes: According to the company, their access to Gemini services will be reduced even further.
Usage limits and additional credits
The move follows previous restrictions: Back in May, Google had already recalibrated the usage limits for the various Gemini models. With this latest step, the provider is now separating the model classes more distinctly along subscription tiers.
On the Gemini website, Google also points to separate AI credits. These credits can be used to extend existing usage limits in the higher-tier AI Pro and Ultra subscriptions. The company is currently leaving open whether it might eventually use this credit system to unlock Pro models for an additional fee in lower-tier plans like AI Plus.
What subscribers should keep in mind now
Existing AI Plus subscribers should review which model variants they actually need for their day-to-day tasks. If the faster but more compact Flash and Flash-Lite models are sufficient for research and drafting texts, the existing subscription can be kept for 4.99 euros a month. If more demanding workflows strictly require the capabilities of Gemini Pro, there will be no way around switching to AI Pro in the future.
Sources: Heise – News
