Google’s paid subscription service, Google One, has crossed a major milestone — hitting 150 million subscribers, marking a significant 50% growth since February 2024. This achievement underscores the growing global appetite for AI-driven tools and services, particularly in consumer tech ecosystems.
The service, launched almost six years ago, was initially focused on cloud storage. However, with the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence in daily applications, Google restructured its offerings to include access to powerful AI capabilities — a move that seems to be paying off.
In February 2024, the company introduced a $19.99/month premium plan that gave users access to AI tools not available to free users. Although Google One continues to offer lower-priced storage-only tiers, it’s the AI-powered tier that has driven this recent surge in subscriptions.
According to Reuters, the newly launched AI tier alone brought in “millions” of new users, a statement confirmed by Shimrit Ben-Yair, VP of Google’s subscription services.
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Fxleaders also reported the same spike, stating that the 150 million mark represents a 50% increase from the 100 million subscribers reported just a few months ago — highlighting the tier’s significant contribution to Google’s growth.
Alphabet’s subscription push comes at a critical moment. The tech giant is facing increasing pressure from generative AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and even its own Gemini, which are gradually altering how users interact with information online. Traditional web search models are being challenged as AI-powered interfaces don’t incorporate ads as effectively — leading to uncertainty about long-term monetization.
Alphabet’s stock took a $150 billion hit in market value when news broke that searches on Apple’s Safari browser had declined for the first time ever — with Apple reportedly planning to roll out AI-powered search features of its own.
This dramatic shift in user behavior is compelling major tech firms to reimagine their business models. With ad revenue under pressure and AI interfaces lacking a clear monetization path, subscriptions like Google One could define the next phase of digital revenue.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai echoed this during a recent earnings call, noting: “Just like you’ve seen with YouTube, we’ll give people options over time. For this year, I think you’ll see us be focused on the subscription direction.”
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information from credible sources,. All facts and figures are accurate as per the original reporting. No additional data or interpretation has been added.
