Google doubled this week the recently introduced 2.5 Pro queries limit in the Gemini App for AI Pro subscribers. Then, it was revealed that Google plans to make similar changes to AI Studio’s limit.
Google to study allows you to access Gemini models and other first-party models. The website has offered free access to these models up until now, with some generous limitations. You get more control (like adjusting the temperature) and fewer restrictions compared to the Gemini App. The Gemini API is a third option for accessing Google models, particularly when it comes to third-party integration.
It is important to note that AI Studio was designed and intended for developers. The Gemini app, on the other hand, is Google’s consumer friendly offering that prioritizes simplicity and ultimately being a personal assistant.
Google announced that AI Studio will be “fully API-based” when users exceed the free usage limit. Most people didn’t need to pay for model access due to Google’s generous AI Studio limitations (like the original Gemini app).
When Google shared its upcoming AI Studio plans, (of which no further details are available yet), developers were concerned that they would have to pay to access Gemini in the same (high) way. Logan Kilpatrick, the lead for Google AI Studio and Gemini API, released a blog post on Saturday morning (19459041) about the situation. The “Google AI Studio Free Tier” is not going away anytime soon.
Moving AI Studio from being API key-based does NOT mean that you will no longer get free access to things. We have a free tier for the API, which is used by millions of people (more than the UI experience by design).
The Gemini API offers a free tier but does not include access to 2.5 Pro. This is in contrast to AI Studio and the Gemini app.
Several people have mentioned that 2.5 Pro is not available for free via the API. This is largely because we also offered it free through the UI, so we were giving away double the compute in a market where there’s a lot of demand. I expect that there will be a free model tier in the future, but it will depend on many factors, such as how expensive the model is to run. 2.5 Pro may be included in the free tier again (we are looking at different ways to do this – lifetime limits, incentives, etc.).
The complaints people have about AI Studio’s generosity are partly due to them trying to use it to replace the Gemini app.
It appears that in the case of the Gemini App, people who want to use the app at a more generous level will have to pay $250/month for Google AI Ultra.
The future of AI Studio for pro users/developers who are not paying for the service is still unknown. Google said that it would explore how AI Studio might look in AI Pro/Ultra, and adding more controls to Gemini is also in the discussion stage.
This will be done in a way that minimizes disruption, provides clear messaging, a wonderful product experience, and ensures Google has the best AI developer platforms, models, and consumer products. Add 9to5Google’s Google News feed.FTC: we use auto affiliate links that earn income. More.
