Google AI Pro now offers free access to YouTube Premium Lite subscription
Google has started offering a free YouTube Premium Lite subscription with its AI Pro plan, but the benefit is limited to paying subscribers only. The update comes alongside fresh backlash over Google's new Gemini AI usage limits.
Google has added a new benefit to its AI Pro subscription by bundling a complimentary YouTube Premium Lite membership. The update gives eligible subscribers access to ad-free viewing on most YouTube videos, adding more value to Google’s Gemini AI plan. However, the benefit comes with an important limitation that may disappoint many users in India.
The company has confirmed that the free YouTube Premium Lite offer is only meant for customers who are directly paying for Google AI Pro. Users who received the 18-month complimentary AI Pro membership through the partnership with Reliance Jio will not get access to the new YouTube perk during the trial period.
The clarification was shared by Vikas Kansal on X. He said the YouTube Premium Lite membership will become available only after trial users switch to a paid AI Pro subscription once their free period ends.
YouTube Premium Lite features and Gemini backlash
YouTube Premium Lite is a lighter version of the standard YouTube Premium plan and is priced at Rs 89 in India. It removes ads from most regular videos, but users can still see advertisements on Shorts, music content and search pages. The plan also skips several premium features, including YouTube Music Premium, advanced playback controls, queueing and high-quality audio support.
Google has introduced this change at a time when the company is also revising how Gemini AI usage works for subscribers. Instead of daily prompt limits, AI Pro users are now being moved to a compute-based system. The new model calculates usage depending on prompt complexity, conversation length and the AI tools being used.
In an email to subscribers, Google said Gemini limits will now refresh every five hours until users hit their weekly cap. The update has already triggered criticism online, especially from users on Reddit who say the new structure makes AI usage harder to predict.
One Reddit user complained that a long Gemini conversation consumed nearly half of their available quota within a few exchanges. Others argued that Google should have communicated the changes more clearly before rolling them out.