Google is considering hiding AI behind a paywall - FT

Google is considering introducing a paid premium subscription to access advanced search and other AI-powered content.

Here's What We Know

According to the Financial Times, the tech giant is exploring the idea of making some AI search features part of paid subscription packages. These packages already offer premium access to the new Gemini assistant - Google's ChatGPT analogue.

Meanwhile, the regular Google search engine will remain free with adverts. A paid subscription will unlock additional AI capabilities to find information.

A final decision has yet to be made, but according to the FT, Google engineers are already developing the necessary technology for such a service.

This would be the first time Google's key subscription-based product has been commercialised. So far, the company has made money mainly from adverts in its free services.

The move to paid AI services is due to competition in the artificial intelligence field, as well as technical challenges faced by Google's AI products such as Gemini.

Google itself has not yet commented on the information. A spokesperson for the company has only stated that they have nothing to announce "right now".

Source: Financial Times, BBC