Google reshuffles Gemini AI plans with new Ultra tier, revises usage limits

Google has introduced new Gemini AI subscription tiers, revised AI Pro usage limits, and rolled out fresh Gemini features, AI agents and cloud storage benefits

Google has announced a major overhaul of its AI subscription plans alongside a wave of new Gemini features at Google I/O 2026. The company introduced a more affordable AI Ultra tier, reduced the price of its top-end Ultra plan, and rolled out new AI tools such as Gemini Spark, Gemini Omni, and Daily Brief.

 

Additionally, Google has also changed how its existing AI Pro plan works, triggering criticism from some users online.

 

According to emails sent to subscribers, Google AI Pro is now moving to a compute-based usage system where limits depend on prompt complexity, chat length, and the AI tools being used instead of fixed quotas. Google has also removed the 1,000 monthly AI credits previously included with the plan.

 

 

The changes sparked criticism on Reddit and social media, with some users arguing that the new system makes limits less predictable.

 

Google changes AI Pro usage system

 

While Google focused on announcing new AI products during I/O, users soon began noticing changes to the existing AI Pro subscription plan.

 

According to emails sent to subscribers, Google is now introducing compute-based usage limits for Gemini instead of the earlier product-based system.

 

Under the updated system, usage limits now depend on:

• How complex a prompt is
• How long a chat session becomes
• Which AI features are used

Instead of fixed prompt counts, usage will now be calculated dynamically based on how resource-intensive a request is.

 

Google said these limits refresh every five hours until users reach their broader weekly quota. The company also claimed AI Pro subscribers will continue to receive four times higher limits than free users, although exact token or prompt limits have not been disclosed publicly.

 

Another major change is the removal of the 1,000 monthly AI credits that were previously bundled with the AI Pro subscription. Google said users will now need to purchase additional AI credits separately if they want to extend their limits on products such as Flow and Antigravity.

 

This has become one of the biggest points of criticism among subscribers, especially among users who relied on those included credits for media generation and AI-heavy workflows.   

 

What is not changing

 

Google said several existing benefits will remain part of the AI Pro plan, including:

• Access to Gemini Flash and Gemini Pro models
• Gemini “Thinking” capabilities
• Deep Research and video generation features
• 5TB cloud storage across Google Photos, Drive, and Gmail

However, the new quota system has drawn criticism from some users on Reddit and social media, with many arguing that the updated limits feel less transparent and harder to predict compared to the earlier usage model.

 

Google AI Ultra subscription plans

 

Google is launching a new $100-per-month AI Ultra subscription tier for developers, advanced creators, technical professionals, and heavy AI users.

 

The company said the new plan is designed for users who rely heavily on AI tools for coding, media generation, automation, and other complex workflows.

 

The new subscription offers:

• Up to 5X higher usage limits in the Gemini app and Google Antigravity compared to the AI Pro plan
• Gemini 3.5 Flash integration for faster testing, debugging, and AI workflows
• Priority access to Google Antigravity, the company’s AI agent development platform
• 20TB cloud storage for datasets, codebases, and media files
• Bundled YouTube Premium individual subscription with ad-free playback

At the same time, Google also reduced the monthly price of its existing top-tier AI Ultra subscription from $250 to $200 while retaining the same features.

 

The company said the $200 plan offers 20 times higher usage limits than AI Pro. 

 

Newly introduced models and agentic AI: Availability

 

Google also announced Gemini Omni, a new multimodal AI model capable of generating and editing content using text, images, and video together. The feature will be available globally across AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscriptions.

 

Alongside Omni, the company introduced Gemini 3.5 Flash, which Google said is designed for coding, AI agents, and long-running tasks that require faster responses and lower latency. It will also be available to AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra users globally.

 

One of the biggest announcements at I/O was Gemini Spark, Google’s new AI agent platform. Google described Spark as a 24/7 AI assistant capable of completing tasks across Google services on behalf of users.

 

Initially, Gemini Spark will roll out to AI Ultra users in the US as part of a beta programme. This will be available for both the $100 and $200 AI Ultra subscriptions in the US only.

 

Google also expanded access to Project Genie, an experimental AI tool that allows users to create and explore AI-generated worlds.

 

The company said the updated version can use Google Street View data to generate virtual environments based on real-world locations. The feature will be available for users with the $200 Google AI Ultra subscription.   

 

AI Inbox in Gmail and Daily Brief

 

Google also announced:

• AI Inbox in Gmail: An AI-powered inbox assistant that highlights important emails, suggests replies, tracks tasks, and surfaces relevant Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides links
• Daily Brief in Gemini: A personalised morning summary that pulls updates from Gmail, Calendar, and Gemini chats to show priorities and suggested next steps

AI Inbox and Daily Brief are currently rolling out to Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers in the US only.

 

User reaction

 

The updated usage rules triggered criticism on Reddit and other social media platforms soon after users began receiving the emails.

 

Some users complained that failed media generations were still counting against usage limits, while others claimed they were automatically switched from the Pro model to the Flash version even after manually selecting Pro preferences.

 

The backlash appears particularly strong because Google AI Pro is currently being offered free to some users in India through select Jio-linked offers, leading many users to closely track changes in the plan’s limits and features.

 

Google AI subscriptions in India

 

In India, Google currently offers four AI subscription tiers — Google AI Plus, Google AI Pro, Google AI Ultra, and Google AI Ultra Premium — with pricing and features aimed at different categories of users.

• Google AI Plus — Rs 399/month

This is Google’s entry-level paid AI subscription and includes:

• 200GB cloud storage
• 2X higher Gemini usage limits compared to free users
• Access to Gemini Omni
• AI Inbox in Gmail
• Daily Brief in Gemini (coming soon)

The plan is aimed at everyday users who want access to Gemini’s latest AI tools and extra storage without paying for higher-end plans.

• Google AI Pro — Rs 1,950/month

Google AI Pro is positioned as the mid-tier subscription for heavy Gemini users, creators, and professionals.

 

It includes:

• 5TB cloud storage
• 4X higher Gemini usage limits than free users
• Access to Gemini Pro models
• YouTube Premium Lite
• All features included in AI Plus

Google AI Ultra — starting at Rs 6,500/month

 

Google AI Ultra is the company’s new high-end AI subscription aimed at developers, advanced creators, and enterprise-style users.

 

The plan includes:

• Starting storage of 20TB
• Up to 5X higher Gemini usage limits than the Pro plan
• Access to Gemini Spark (coming soon)
• YouTube Premium individual subscription
• Early access to Google’s latest AI tools and experiments
• Priority access to advanced Gemini capabilities

Google AI Ultra Premium — starting at Rs 19,500/month

 

The plan includes:

• 30TB cloud storage
• Up to 20X higher usage limits in the Gemini app and Google Antigravity compared to AI Pro
• Access to Google’s latest Gemini models and advanced AI tools
• Gemini Spark AI agent access (US beta rollout initially)
• Access to Project Genie AI world-generation tools for eligible users
• Highest limits for Flow AI filmmaking and Whisk image-to-video tools
• Access to Deep Think and Gemini Agent features in supported regions
• YouTube Premium individual subscription
• Highest rate limits for Gemini CLI, Gemini Code Assist, and AI development tools
• Priority access to experimental AI features and future Gemini updates