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Alphabet's Google One subscription service, which charges customers for cloud storage and artificial intelligence services, just reached 150 million members, the firm said.
That marks a 50% gain from February 2024, when Google One reached 100 million subscribers roughly six years after its start.
The same month, Google unveiled a $19.99 (approximately Rs. 1,710) monthly subscription that includes access to AI capabilities not available to free users. The business continues to provide Google One membership tiers for file storage, but without key AI functions and at cheaper costs.
The new AI layer accounted for "millions" of subscribers, according to Shimrit Ben-Yair, Google's vice president in charge of the subscription service.
Google One is part of Alphabet's drive to expand beyond advertising, which accounted for more than three-quarters of the company's $350 billion (approximately Rs. 29,93,350 crore) in total revenue in 2024.
Alphabet's success with subscriptions might have a significant impact on its long-term financial picture as it deals with the danger of AI chatbots, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT or Google's own Gemini, to its search engine dominance.
For the first time ever, AI offerings reduced searches on Apple's Safari browser, according to an Apple official testifying in court last week. The iPhone manufacturer intends to launch AI-powered search alternatives, a blow to Alphabet, which lost $150 billion (approximately Rs. 12,82,864 crore) in market value that day.
Unlike search engines, AI interfaces have yet to discover an easy method to add advertisements. Many firms instead charge consumers via subscriptions or depending on product usage.
Investors have asked how Google will adjust.
"Just like you've seen with YouTube, we'll give people options over time," CEO Sundar Pichai said during Google earnings call in February when asked about plans to monetize Gemini. "For this year, I think you'll see us be focused on the subscription direction."
