Google is expanding its AI Plus plan to 36 new countries
The company’s AI-powered Google One plan is now available in 77 markets, extending access to its generative tools across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
For years, Google One was a basic subscription for extra storage. You paid a small fee each month for more space in Gmail, Drive, or Photos, and that was where it ended.
Today, that same plan is quietly becoming Google’s biggest channel for AI adoption. AI Plus, the company’s AI-powered version of Google One, has just expanded to 36 additional countries, bringing the total to 77. The rollout includes Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa, making it one of Google’s largest AI expansions so far.
The plan first launched in Indonesia and later reached 40 countries. This new wave extends it across Africa, Asia, and Latin America—regions that often see delayed access to new technology. By bringing AI Plus there, Google is making a statement about where the next wave of adoption will come from.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
That shift is more strategic than it looks. Instead of launching new apps or products, Google is building AI into tools people already use. For millions who rely on Gmail, Docs, and Drive for work or study, that integration turns everyday habits into AI entry points. It’s a subtle approach that lowers barriers to trying new technology without requiring users to change how they work.
For creators, students, and small businesses in emerging markets, that approach could make AI experimentation far easier. Many already depend on Google’s ecosystem, so adding intelligence inside familiar apps makes adoption almost seamless.
According to Google, AI Plus is “a plan designed to help people do more with the latest Google AI models and features, for less.” The plan combines 200 GB of cloud storage with access to Gemini, the AI model built into Gmail and Docs. It also upgrades NotebookLM, Google’s research assistant, adding support for more notebooks, collaboration tools, and audio summaries. On the creative side, there’s Flow for turning text into short videos and Whisk for image creation, both powered by Google’s newer Nano Banana model.
New users get a 50% discount for the first six months, but price is only part of the story. By packaging AI inside an existing subscription, Google is treating it less like a luxury feature and more like a utility, something that scales through reach, not hype.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
That stands in contrast to rivals like OpenAI and Microsoft, whose AI tools remain tied to standalone subscriptions or premium software tiers. ChatGPT Plus, Copilot, and similar offerings often target developed markets first, where disposable income and infrastructure are stronger. Google, meanwhile, is betting on distribution rather than exclusivity, embedding AI in products that already have deep penetration in emerging economies.
The difference could prove significant. Where others compete on cutting-edge models, Google is competing on access, positioning itself as the default entry point for billions of users who already live inside its ecosystem.
Some tools, like Flow, are still English-only, and a few Workspace updates will roll out in phases. Even so, expanding AI Plus to a total of 77 countries marks a clear pivot in Google’s strategy; from competing on performance to competing on presence. Google’s view seems simple. The next stage of AI growth will be decided not by who builds the smartest model but by who can make it part of everyday life.
