Google will give 18 months of free access to its Gemini AI service to all 505 million Reliance Jio users. (Photo: X/Google)
Google will provide 18 months of free access to its Gemini AI service for all 505 million Reliance Jio telecom subscribers, a major push to increase AI adoption in India, similar to the free offerings recently rolled out by rivals like OpenAI. The announcement follows Google’s commitment to invest $15 billion in expanding AI infrastructure in India, its largest investment in the region so far.
As AI usage surges across the country, authorities have proposed new regulations requiring tech and social media platforms to clearly label AI-generated content in an effort to curb deepfakes and misinformation.
With nearly 1 billion internet users, India has been a go-to market for global tech firms to boost their subscriber base and harvest data for improving their services.
The Gemini offer will give Jio users free access to the advanced model of the AI app, two terabytes of cloud storage, and its image and video generation models, in an 18-month offering that is otherwise priced at 35,100 rupees ($399). The companies on Thursday also announced AI partnerships that targeted Indian businesses.
The free AI plan rollout will begin with early access for 18-to-25-year-old users on certain telecom plans, and will expand to include every Jio customer nationwide “in the shortest time possible,” Reliance said in a statement.
Google already offers Gemini AI Pro free for a year for students in India, while rival Perplexity is offering free access to its premium plan to Indian users through a tie-up with mobile carrier Bharti Airtel BRTI.NS. On Tuesday, OpenAI too offered year-long free access to its ChatGPT Go plan to users in India starting November.
Such moves mirror the early playbook of streaming firms to boost adoption in India, when the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime partnered with telecom players to bundle their paid offerings with monthly data plans.
($1 = 87.8950 Indian rupees)
(With Reuters Inputs)
ALSO READ: Reliance And Google Partners: The AI Alliance That Could Redefine India’s Digital Future
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
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