Google One, Alphabet’s subscription service for cloud storage and artificial intelligence features, has surpassed 150 million subscribers, marking a 50% increase since February 2024 when it hit the 100 million mark nearly six years after launch.
In February, Google introduced a new $19.99 per month tier that offers access to AI capabilities unavailable to free users. The company continues to provide lower-priced subscription options focused on file storage, but these do not include most AI features.
The AI-focused tier has attracted “millions” of subscribers, according to Shimrit Ben-Yair, a Google vice president overseeing the service.
Google One is part of Alphabet’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on advertising, which made up more than three-quarters of its $350 billion in total revenue in 2024.
Success in subscriptions could be key to Alphabet’s long-term financial outlook as the company contends with the rise of AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and its own Gemini, which pose a challenge to its search engine dominance.
AI tools have contributed to a drop in search activity on Apple’s Safari browser for the first time, according to recent court testimony from an Apple executive. Apple is also exploring AI-powered search, posing a potential threat to Alphabet, which lost $150 billion in market value in response.
Unlike search engines, AI interfaces have yet to integrate advertising effectively. Many companies are turning to subscriptions or usage-based models to generate revenue.
“Just like you’ve seen with YouTube, we’ll give people options over time,” Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said in February during an earnings call when asked about monetizing Gemini. “For this year, I think you’ll see us be focused on the subscription direction.”
