Google has fundamentally restructured its artificial intelligence offerings, simplifying a once-confusing product lineup into a clear two-tiered subscription model and rebranding its core chatbot to simply the “Gemini” app. The overhaul introduces the existing “Google AI Pro” plan alongside the new, high-end “Google AI Ultra” tier, a move designed to clarify the company’s monetization strategy and carve out a premium space for users who want access to its most powerful creative tools and future-forward AI prototypes.
This strategic shift consolidates a fragmented collection of brands, including the now-defunct “Gemini Advanced” and “AI Premium” names. For users, this means the core experience is now universally called Gemini, with the Pro and Ultra plans acting as keys to unlock progressively more powerful features.
The introduction of the $249.99-per-month Ultra plan, in particular, signals Google’s ambition to cater to professionals and enthusiasts who, as one executive put it, “The Google AI Ultra plan is ‘built for you — think of it as your VIP pass to Google Al’ for those who ‘demand the absolute best of Google AI.'”.
The new structure provides a clearer roadmap for Google’s AI ecosystem, which extends far beyond a simple chatbot. According to Google’s official plans page, the subscriptions bundle access to specialized tools for video generation, advanced research, and a substantial amount of cloud storage, positioning Google’s AI as an integrated productivity and creativity suite.
A Tale of Two Tiers
At the heart of the new strategy are two distinct plans. The Google AI Pro plan, priced at $19.99 per month in the US, provides 2 TB of storage and access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro model. It also includes 1,000 monthly AI credits for use across creative tools. The Pro tier’s credits are for “ample room for creative exploration,” while the Ultra tier targets “high-volume creators and small studios.” For eligible students, Google is offering the Pro plan for free through a student discount.
The Google AI Ultra plan boosts storage to 30 TB and bundles a YouTube Premium subscription. These two benefits alone have a standalone value of roughly $114, leaving the remaining cost to be justified by the plan’s advanced AI features. These include 12,500 monthly AI credits and exclusive access to Google’s most capable models, such as the next-generation Veo 3 for video and the forthcoming 2.5 Pro Deep Think for superior reasoning.
From Confusion to Clarity
A core goal of this overhaul is to eliminate the brand confusion that has long plagued Google’s AI efforts. The chatbot and mobile clients are now simply named “Gemini” for all users, with the subscription status managed separately. This change streamlines the user experience, moving away from the previous “Gemini Advanced” branding and a short-lived “Gemini Pro” label that appeared in the mobile app.
Google’s product branding has historically been a significant weakness and the move is a necessary, if belated, step towards clarity.
The simplification extends to other products in the ecosystem. For instance, “NotebookLM Plus,” an enterprise-focused version of the AI research assistant launched in late 2024, no longer exists as a separate brand. Its advanced features—including shared team notebooks and interactive audio summaries—are now integrated into the standard NotebookLM experience, available on its official site, and unlocked for Pro and Ultra subscribers.
The High-End ‘Ultra’ Strategy
Priced at $249.99 per month, the Google AI Ultra plan is a clear signal that Google is targeting a market beyond the everyday consumer. The plan is not for the average user but for what could be called “prosumers” and small creative agencies who can leverage its high limits and exclusive tools. The most significant justification for the premium price is early access to Project Mariner, an experimental AI agent prototype.
The company explained in a post on the Google Blog that it views agents as systems combining advanced AI with tools to “take actions on your behalf and under your control.” This focus on agentic AI is a key differentiator for the Ultra tier and reflects a broader industry trend toward creating more autonomous and useful AI assistants.
By bundling this early-access technology, Google is betting that a segment of its user base is willing to pay a premium to be on the cutting edge of AI development.
An Expanding AI Toolbox
Beyond the core Gemini model, the subscription plans grant access to a growing suite of specialized creative and productivity tools. The AI filmmaking tool Flow, which uses the Veo 2 model in the Pro tier and the more advanced Veo 3 in the Ultra tier, is a centerpiece of this strategy.
A recent review from MKBHD demonstrated Flow with Veo 3 and notes its impressive shot consistency and ability to generate synchronized audio. However, the review also highlights that while Flow with Veo 3 is a “massive leap for text-to-video,” it’s “still a tool that requires a creative human director to guide it and edit the outputs.”
Another key tool is NotebookLM, an AI-powered research assistant. Its “Interactive Audio Overview” feature, available to Pro subscribers, has been praised in reviews as a standout tool for researchers, effectively creating a private podcast about your own documents.
Together, these applications showcase Google’s strategy of building a comprehensive AI ecosystem that moves beyond simple text-based chat to offer tangible value in creative and professional workflows.
This strategic overhaul represents a pivotal moment for Google’s AI ambitions. By simplifying its branding and creating a clear, two-tiered value proposition, the company is attempting to transition from a chaotic innovator into a focused product provider. The success of this new structure will depend on whether the advanced tools in the Pro and Ultra tiers can deliver enough consistent value to justify their cost, especially as the high-end Ultra plan seeks to define a new market for premium, all-inclusive AI subscriptions.
