There are rumors that Google, the search engine that over a billion people use worldwide, may start charging for premium material produced by artificial intelligence (AI).
The Financial Times revealed on Wednesday that Alphabet’s Google is thinking of charging for premium features on its generative AI-powered search engine, citing people familiar with the proposal.
According to the article, the tech giant is considering several solutions, such as adding AI-powered search capabilities to its premium subscription services, which now grant users access to its new Gemini AI assistant in Gmail and Docs.
In an effort to catch up in the rapidly evolving AI market, Google would be the first to place any of its main products behind a paywall. According to the article, its conventional search engine would stay free to use, and advertisements will still show up next to search results, even for subscribers.
Although the FT stated that engineers were building the know-how required to launch the service, executives are allegedly still undecided on when or not to proceed with the technology.
According to the Financial Times, Google’s conventional search engine will still be available for free, but members will also see advertisements next to content that matches their search terms.
Google has had difficulty adjusting to the AI revolution. Earlier this year, Gemini, a system that can both answer text inquiries and create images in response to text prompts, caused controversy when it accidentally produced an image of the US Founding Fathers that included a black man.
Additionally, it produced World War II German soldiers that were misrepresented as Asian and Black men.
