Google has significantly expanded the availability of its new, more affordable AI Plus subscription plan, making it accessible in over 40 countries. The move is a clear strategy to attract a wider user base in markets where its premium $20-per-month tier is considered costly, intensifying its competition with OpenAI.
Unlocking Premium AI Capabilities
Priced at around $5 per month, the AI Plus plan provides subscribers with a robust suite of advanced tools. The tier unlocks access to the powerful Gemini 2.5 Pro model, along with AI-driven image and video creation tools like Flow, Whisk, and Veo 3 Fast. Subscribers also gain enhanced features on the AI research assistant NotebookLM, AI integration within Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs, and Sheets, and a 200GB cloud storage allowance.
A Competitive Move In The AI Arms Race
This global rollout directly challenges OpenAI, which recently expanded its own sub-$5 ChatGPT Go plan. By introducing a lower-priced tier, both tech giants are vying for paying users in emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Google’s expansion was first tested in Indonesia earlier this month and now includes countries like Mexico, Nigeria, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Notably, India, where OpenAI first debuted its cheaper plan, is currently absent from Google’s expansion list.
Relevance For The MENA Tech Ecosystem
The expansion holds particular significance for the MENA region, with Egypt being one of the first countries included in the rollout. This makes Google’s advanced AI capabilities significantly more accessible to a large and growing market of developers, entrepreneurs, and tech professionals in the country. For regional startups, the affordable plan lowers the barrier to entry for leveraging powerful AI in their daily operations, from content creation and market research to enhanced productivity within Google’s ecosystem. The move is expected to accelerate AI adoption and literacy, potentially paving the way for a similar launch in other MENA markets.
About Google
Google is a global technology company specializing in Internet-related services and products. These include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. It is considered one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft.
Source: TechCrunch
