Google is reportedly considering bringing premium features of its search engine into a paid subscription.
So writes Financial Times based on sources. The features could fall under Google’s One AI Premium subscription, which previously brought Gemini to Gmail and Docs. Gemini, for example, helps prepare dinner invitations or travel itineraries. However, the exact premium features of the search engine are not clearly stated in the Financial Times article.
If the search engine gets paid features, this would be the first time that Google’s core business is not entirely free to access. Nevertheless, traditional search will remain free because Google will continue to show ads. Even paying users will still see ads.
Engineers are currently developing the premium features. Google management has yet to make a final decision on implementing the plan. If the plan is implemented within One AI Premium, it would become part of the monthly subscription of €21.99.
High cost
Since ChatGPT emerged, Google has been experimenting with new AI capabilities in its search engine, such as a plan for detailed answers with links for more information. However, the tech giant has been reluctant to make such features available due to the high cost of the additional computing resources. Bringing premium features under subscription could be a solution for Google to cover the cost.
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