Google's AI-powered subscription service hits 150 million users

Technology company Google said that Alphabet's paid subscription service Google One, which provides cloud storage and artificial intelligence (AI) features to users, has officially surpassed 150 million subscribers.

This is an impressive 50% increase since February 2024 when Google One reached 100 million subscribers - nearly 6 years after the service launched.

Also in February 2024, Google launched a new $19.99/month subscription plan that gives access to exclusive AI features that free users don’t get. Google still maintains its basic plans that only offer storage at a lower price, without most of the AI ​​features.

Google's vice president of subscription services, Shimrit Ben-Yair, said the AI-integrated premium plan alone has attracted "millions of signups."

Experts say that success with subscription plans could be a key element in Alphabet's long-term financial strategy, as AI chatbots - such as OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's own Gemini - challenge the dominance of traditional search engines.

Last week, an Apple executive revealed that AI was causing searches on the Safari browser to drop for the first time. Apple is also developing an AI-powered search engine, a move that caused Alphabet to lose $150 billion in market capitalization in just one day.

Unlike traditional search engines, AI interfaces are currently unable to effectively integrate advertising, forcing many businesses to turn to user-based or product-based fee models.

In response to investor skepticism, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in a February earnings call: “Like YouTube, we will gradually open up more options for users. This year, we will focus on the subscription model.”

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/dich-vu-dang-ky-tich-hop-ai-cua-google-can-moc-150-trieu-nguoi-dung-post1038891.vnp