Google makes Gemini AI free for these users, but there's a catch

Gemini

Google Workspace suite users can now access Gemini-powered AI experiences directly from Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Meet for free. Until now, access to Gemini on these services was limited to users with the Google One AI Premium subscription for Rs 1,500 per month. However, this change comes as part of democratizing artificial intelligence for all professional users.

Unfortunately, there’s a small caveat. Google is hiking the price of all Workspace plans by about Rs 125 more per user per month. For context, the base subscription that previously was available for Rs 900 ($12) will now be priced at Rs 1,050 ($14). Although the hike might seem minor for smaller teams, it could be quite high for larger organizations with multiple employees.

What Gemini AI tools are now available for free?

The Gemini-powered suite offers a range of features designed to boost productivity in Google Docs, Gmail, and other Google Workspace apps. These include email summaries in Gmail, automated meeting notes in Meet, spreadsheet formatting assistance in Sheets, and AI writing tools in Docs.

On the other hand, the paid Workspace users will get additional tools like Gemini Advanced, which operates on generative AI models and advanced image and video generation, along with access to NotebookLM Plus. However, by eliminating the extra cost, Google wants to encourage widespread adoption of its AI tools and invite more businesses to use its AI platform.