Free Gemini users are about to face major restrictions.

Google Gemini may soon tighten its free usage limits, signaling the end of the era of "unlimited AI use."

Many large AI chatbots, such as Gemini and ChatGPT, employ a similar strategy: attracting users with a free version packed with appealing features, then encouraging them to switch to a paid plan once they become dependent on the service. Despite this, many users remain loyal to the free version, believing it adequately meets their needs.

The bandwidth limit notification that free Gemini users receive is shared on X.

PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

This appears to be the reason Google is testing stricter usage tracking in the Gemini app. This screenshot shows a new notification section that roughly translates to, "Your plan limits determine how much you can use Gemini within a given timeframe." This suggests Google may be preparing a system to measure how frequently free users interact with Gemini, especially when using more sophisticated AI models.

Additionally, the screenshot also shows a usage bar, indicating what percentage of the allowed data allowance the user has used. In this case, the user is believed to have used approximately 5% of the allowance, and the limit will be reset at the end of the day. While this might not seem alarming, it suggests Gemini is becoming more structured about the amount of free data users are granted.

Why Google 'throttles bandwidth' on free Gemini

Operating large-scale AI models is very expensive. Every interaction, from prompts to generated images, consumes computing power. Tech companies have spent years allowing users to use AI almost without limits and for free.

Many AI chatbots are no longer as lenient with free users as they once were.

PHOTO: GOOGLE

However, this "honeymoon" period can't last forever, and like many other AI companies, Google wants end users to eventually pay for access to premium features. The challenge is figuring out what level of incentive is feasible before users switch to other tools, as AI tools are very easy to abandon.

Currently, this issue is based on a single user report, and Google has yet to officially announce a weekly limit for Gemini's free plan. It's possible this is part of a small-scale test or a pilot rollout that will never be expanded.

However, Google has a long history of quietly testing features with a limited number of users before rolling them out more widely. Therefore, if stricter Gemini restrictions gradually appear in the future, the information may not be too surprising.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-dung-mien-phi-gemini-sap-gap-han-che-lon-18526051913364594.htm