Google, Reliance offer free AI Pro to millions of Jio users
▼ Summary
– Google has partnered with Reliance Industries to bundle its AI Pro subscription free for 18 months with Jio 5G plans, targeting India’s large internet market.
– The partnership reflects Google’s strategy to use India as a testing ground for AI models and data collection to scale across emerging markets.
– The offer includes access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, AI image/video generation tools, Notebook LM, and 2 TB cloud storage, initially reaching users aged 18-25 before expanding nationwide.
– Reliance and Google Cloud are collaborating to expand access to Tensor Processing Units and deploy Gemini Enterprise to Indian organizations through Reliance Intelligence.
– This move is part of a broader trend where global tech firms like OpenAI and Anthropic are entering India to drive AI adoption and establish a foothold in the key growth market.
In a significant move to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption across India, Google has teamed up with Reliance Industries to provide its premium AI Pro subscription at no additional cost to millions of Jio 5G customers. This collaboration, announced on Thursday, grants eligible users complimentary access for eighteen months, presenting a strategic effort to embed advanced AI tools within one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.
The initiative will first roll out to Jio subscribers between 18 and 25 years old before expanding nationwide. The bundled package includes entry to Google’s powerful Gemini 2.5 Pro model through the Gemini application, increased generation limits for AI images and videos using Nano Banana and Veo 3.1, broader utilization of Notebook LM for academic and research tasks, and a substantial 2 TB of cloud storage spanning Google Photos, Gmail, Drive, and WhatsApp backups.
Reliance emphasized that the alliance will also focus on crafting more tailored local AI experiences for its user base. Valued at approximately ₹35,100 (around $396), this offer represents substantial savings, as the standard monthly fee for AI Pro in India is ₹1,950.
This partnership arrives just three months after Perplexity aligned with Bharti Airtel, Reliance’s primary competitor, to distribute Perplexity Pro freely to Airtel’s vast subscriber network. India, with its enormous population and more than a billion internet users, has become a critical testing ground for global technology firms. These companies see the nation as a vital arena for gathering diverse data, refining AI models, and piloting applications that could eventually be deployed in other emerging markets.
Beyond consumer offerings, Reliance and Google Cloud are deepening their cooperation to improve access to Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) within India. Reliance Intelligence, the group’s AI subsidiary, will act as a strategic go-to-market ally for Google Cloud, helping distribute Gemini Enterprise across Indian businesses and creating custom pre-built AI agents for the platform.
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, remarked that this initiative is designed to place Google’s sophisticated AI capabilities directly into the hands of Indian consumers, enterprises, and developers.
During Reliance’s 48th annual general meeting in late August, the conglomerate revealed partnerships with investors Google and Meta to bolster its AI infrastructure via the newly formed Reliance Intelligence. Additionally, Reliance and Meta have committed to a joint venture with a combined investment of about ₹8.55 billion, structured with a 70/30 ownership split.
The competitive landscape intensified recently when OpenAI declared it would provide free access to its affordable ChatGPT Go plan across India starting November 4. Other AI leaders, including Anthropic, are also establishing a presence in the country, aiming to better understand local user behavior and expand their influence.
Earlier this year, Google ran a promotion offering Indian students a free one-year AI Pro subscription, which concluded on September 15. India already ranks among the top consumer markets for leading AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude. Providing free access to premium AI services could significantly speed up adoption and solidify India’s role as a crucial growth market for generative AI.
Mukesh Ambani articulated the broader vision, stating that through collaborations with long-term partners like Google, the goal is to transform India into an “AI-empowered” society where every individual and organization can leverage intelligent tools for creation, innovation, and expansion. However, a key question remains regarding how these companies will convert widespread user adoption into sustainable revenue once the current wave of free promotional offers concludes.
(Source: TechCrunch)
