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Google’s more affordable AI Plus plan rolls out to all markets, including the US

Google on Tuesday announced its more affordable Google AI Plus plan is now available in all markets where its AI plans are available. This includes the U.S, where it will cost $7.99 per month.

The expansion brings the lower-cost plan to 35 new countries and territories, after earlier launches in dozens of global markets, which began with Indonesia last September.

The plan includes access to Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro in the Gemini app, Flow’s AI filmmaking tools, research and writing assistance in NotebookLM, and more. It also offers 200GB of storage and the ability to share your plan benefits with up to five other family members.

Existing Google One Premium 2TB subscribers will automatically gain access to all Google AI Plus plan benefits over the next few days, the company says.

Initially focused on emerging markets, the Google AI Plus plan is designed as the first step beyond free access to Gemini and other AI tools for those who either don’t need or can’t afford to subscribe to the more expensive Google AI Pro plan, which is typically priced at $20 per month.

While the Plus plan’s price point varies by region, its $8 per month price point could introduce a new, more casual audience to Google’s AI technology here in the United States. Elsewhere, the plan tends to cost less than $5 per month. For instance, users in India pay ₹399 ($4.44 USD) per month.

When it first debuted, Google explained that the plan was designed to bring access to Gemini, Veo, and other creative AI tools to emerging markets at a more affordable price point. It’s also designed to compete with OpenAI’s ChatGPT Go plan, which is $8 per month in the U.S., or less in some emerging markets. These plans are meant to attract the large online population of users who could become regular AI customers over time, giving companies a boost in their AI adoption numbers.

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For the time being, subscribers can take 50% off for the first two months of their subscription in a promotional offering, Google says.

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Call for speakers: TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026

Have real-world scaling experience? The TechCrunch Founder Summit 2026 stage is calling.

On June 23 in Boston, this annual founder-focused event will bring together 1,100+ founders and investors to explore the realities of scaling startups across every stage. We’re seeking experienced founders, VCs, and startup operators to lead interactive roundtable discussions rooted in practical, real-world insight.

Experienced leaders from across the startup ecosystem will convene to host interactive roundtable sessions designed to spark real conversations. This is where founders get honest guidance, tactical takeaways, and clarity on the challenges that come with growth. Apply here to get started.

Apply to lead a roundtable session

Roundtables at TC Founder Summit are built for depth, not decks. Each session is a 30-minute, informal discussion led by up to two speakers, with no slides or video — just meaningful dialogue and practical insight. These intimate conversations create space for founders to ask real questions and connect directly with experts who’ve been there before.

To apply, click Apply to Speak on the event page, submit your proposed topic, and share your experience as a scaling expert. TC Founder Summit is the ideal platform to contribute to the next generation of startup leaders.

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Speaker benefits

Speaking at TC Founder Summit is more than visibility. It’s full access to the experience. Along with elevating your authority and brand, you’ll gain premium entry to breakout sessions, roundtables, and curated networking with founders seeking guidance and VCs scouting what’s next.

Plus, TechCrunch will amplify your participation through:

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  • Event agenda placement on the web and mobile app.
  • Inclusion in a shared TechCrunch.com article.
  • Social media promotion across TechCrunch channels.

Make your impact by applying today

Lead the conversation. Share what you’ve learned. Help founders navigate the highs and lows of scaling, and strengthen your reputation as a trusted voice in the startup community.

Apply early. TC Founder Summit takes place on June 23, but speaker applications close well before then. Submit now and be part of TechCrunch’s annual founder bootcamp.

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Uber to buy delivery arm of Turkey’s Getir

Uber has agreed to acquire the delivery business of Turkey’s Getir, once one of the biggest success stories of the country’s startup ecosystem, the company announced on Monday.

The deal will see Uber paying $335 million at the outset to purchase Getir’s food delivery business. The ride-hailing giant will also pay $100 million for a 15% stake in Getir’s grocery, retail, and water delivery business, and said it would complete the acquisition of the division over the next few years.

Uber is buying the business from Getir’s biggest shareholder, the Emirati sovereign wealth fund Mubadala. The investment firm was reportedly seeking to sell its stake in the company last year.

The deal comes after a turbulent few years for Getir, which once enjoyed a valuation of $12 billion, that saw the startup scale down its operations massively. The company launched to great traction in 2015, and invested aggressively to expand its operations in the U.S. and Europe, both organically and via acquisitions, especially during the pandemic.

But after the pandemic lockdowns eased, broader consumer demand for food and grocery delivery also wavered, and Getir chose to cut its losses in 2024, shutting shop and laying off thousands of staff in the U.S., U.K., and Europe in order to focus on business back home.

Nearly a year ago, the company went through a struggle for control over a restructuring plan proposed by Mubadala. The plan was opposed by one of Getir’s co-founders, who eventually sued to fight the “illegal coup,” but a Dutch court rejected the founder’s appeals.

The company has raised a total of $2.40 billion so far, according to PitchBook. Documents filed by Getir in court last year show the company valued its group assets at $374 million.

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“This transaction reflects the strength of the business and the progress it has made, particularly over the last year,” Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, deputy group CEO at Mubadala, said in a statement.

Uber said it would combine the new unit’s services with Trendyol Go, a food and grocery delivery service in Turkey that the ride-hail giant bought for $700 million last May. Uber said Getir’s food delivery business alone recorded gross bookings of more than $1 billion in 2025, up 50% from a year earlier.

The deal follows a strong showing by Uber’s delivery business in the fourth quarter, reporting revenue of $4.89 billion, up 30% from a year earlier. The company said Europe, the Middle East, and Asia proved the fastest-growing regions for the business in 2026.

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Discord to roll out age verification next month for full access to its platform

Discord is rolling out age verification globally starting next month, the company announced on Monday. All users will be put into a “teen-appropriate experience” by default unless they prove they’re adults. Age verification will be required to change certain settings and access age-restricted content.

Discord users will need to be confirmed as adults in order to unblur sensitive content or turn off the setting, and only adults can access age-restricted channels, servers, and app commands. Additionally, messages from people a user may not know are routed to a separate inbox by default, and only verified adults can modify this setting.

People will receive warning prompts for friend requests from users they may not know, and only adults will be able speak onstage in servers.

To complete age verification, users need to either complete a facial age estimation or submit an ID to Discord’s vendor partners. The platform plans to add more options in the future. Discord notes that some users may be asked to use multiple methods when additional information is needed to assign an age group.

The facial age estimation requires video selfies, which Discord says never leave your device. Additionally, the company says IDs submitted to its vendor partners are deleted quickly and, in most cases, immediately after age confirmation.

It’s worth noting that Discord disclosed last October that around 70,000 users may have had sensitive data, such as their government ID photos, exposed after hackers breached a third-party vendor that the platform uses for age-related appeals. The breach reflected digital rights activists’ concerns over the use of age checks as a way to make the internet “safer.”

Discord’s global launch of age verification follows the company’s decision to establish age checks for users in the U.K. and Australia last year.

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“Rolling out teen-by-default settings globally builds on Discord’s existing safety architecture, giving teens strong protections while allowing verified adults flexibility,” said Savannah Badalich, head of product policy at Discord, in a press release. “We design our products with teen safety principles at the core and will continue working with safety experts, policymakers, and Discord users to support meaningful, long term wellbeing for teens on the platform.”

The announcement mirrors similar moves made by other online platforms, reflecting growing international efforts to strengthen child safety. Most recently, Roblox introduced mandatory facial verification for access to chats on its platform. Last July, YouTube launched its age-estimation technology in the U.S. to identify teen users in order to provide a more age-appropriate experience.

Discord’s age-verification changes will begin in early March, and both new and existing users will need to verify their age to access age-restricted content.

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