Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer limited to tech labs. OpenAI launched ChaGPT in 2022. Since then AI chatbots have become mainstream with big tech companies not only developing their own AI tools but also fostering partnerships to make them accessible to more users. As access expands and costs come down, AI tools are moving beyond early adopters and becoming part of routine digital life. In 2025, we saw Google, Perplexity and OpenAI announce free access to their premium AI services in India. Google partnered with Jio to offer Gemini Pro at no extra cost for 18 months. Similarly, Perplexity partnered with Airtel to offer 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription free of cost to all its 360 million customers. OpenAI also made ChatGPT Go available at no cost for 12 months for eligible users in India. In this story, we look at what these offers include and who benefits the most.
Google partners with Reliance to bring Google AI worth Rs 35,100 for free
In October 2025, Google announced a strategic partnership with Reliance Intelligence to offer Google’s AI Pro plan, and with it the latest version of Google Gemini, to Jio Unlimited 5G plan users at no extra cost for 18 months. Announcing the partnership, the US-based tech giant said “We are excited to expand access to our most powerful AI models to more people across India, and can’t wait to see how our world-class tools deliver powerful benefits in people’s everyday lives.”“Through a new strategic partnership with Reliance Intelligence, we’re bringing together our most capable AI models and powerful tools, giving millions of their users access to the Google AI Pro plan at no extra cost for 18 months,” it added.
What is Google AI Pro
With a Google AI Pro membership, one gets expanded access to certain AI features built by Google. It includes 2 TB of expanded storage and additional benefits to optimize Google usage. Users also get access to AI credits with the Google AI Pro membership that can be used across Whisk and Flow. Google AI Pro members get 1,000 monthly AI credits.
Who are eligible for free Google AI Pro
Google’s free AI offer was initially available to Jio users between 18 to 25 years of age. It was eventually expanded to every Jio user nationwide. The offer can be activated via MyJio app.
Benefits under Jio-Google free AI offer
As announced by the company, eligible Jio customers gain access to Google’s most capable Gemini 2.5 Pro model in the Gemini app. Jio users also get higher limits to generate stunning images and videos with the company’s state-of-the-art Nano Banana and Veo 3.1 models, expanded access to NotebookLM for study and research, 2 TB of cloud storage across Google Photos, Gmail, Drive and for backing up WhatsApp (on Android) and more. In a press release, the company stated that the offer has a combined value of approximately Rs 35,100.“Today’s announcement will put Google’s cutting-edge AI tools in the hands of consumers, businesses, and India’s vibrant developer community,” Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, said in an official statement then.“Through our collaboration with strategic and long-term partners like Google, we aim to make India not just AI-enabled but AI-empowered — where every citizen and enterprise can harness intelligent tools to create, innovate, and grow,” Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani said.Notably, Google offered Indian students a free one-year subscription to its AI Pro plan earlier this year.
Airtel partners with Perplexity to offer benefits worth Rs 17,000 for free
Airtel announced its partnership with Perplexity in July 2025. “Bharti Airtel has partnered with Perplexity, to offer 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription free of cost to all its 360mn customers,” the telecom operator said in a press release then. Under the partnership, Airtel users get free access to Perplexity Pro worth Rs 17,000. Commenting on the partnership, Gopal Vittal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Bharti Airtel said, “We’re thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership with Perplexity, bringing their cutting-edge AI capabilities exclusively for Airtel customers. This collaboration will bring the powerful and real-time knowledge tool for millions of users at their fingertips, at no extra cost. This first of its kind Gen-AI partnership in India is focused on helping our customers navigate the emerging trends in the digital world with confidence and ease.”Aravind Srinivas – Cofounder, CEO – Perplexity said “This partnership is an exciting way to make accurate, trustworthy, and professional-grade AI accessible to more people in India—whether a student, working professional, or managing a household. With Perplexity Pro, users get a smarter, easier way to find information, learn, and get more done.”
What is Perplexity Pro
Perplexity Pro is the advanced version of the Perplexity tool. It is claimed to be a smarter, faster way to search, research, and boost your productivity. Key capabilities include:
- Leverages leading AI models such as GPT, Claude, and Gemini for richer responses.
- Answers queries in natural, conversational language using verified sources.
- Allows up to 300 advanced searches per day, making it ideal for in-depth research.
- Enables document and file uploads with expert-level analysis and summarisation.
- Transforms text prompts into images within seconds.
Exclusive features of Perplexity Pro are:
- Enhanced AI search: Up to 300 in-depth AI searches per day.
- Multiple AI models: Choose from Sonar (in-house model), Google Gemini, GPT, Anthropic Claude, and more.
- File assistance: Upload and analyse PDF, DOCX, CSV, and other file types quickly.
- Image generation: Create images directly from text prompts.
- Perplexity Labs: Build mini-apps, automate data analysis, and generate dashboards.
- Deep research: Summarise large documents, compare sources, and extract key insights.
Ideal use cases of Perplexity Pro
For students: Working on a 100-page dissertation has never been easier. Students can upload their PDFs, summarise key points, compare credible sources, and even turn raw data into charts—all in minutes, not weeks.For Professionals: No more sifting through endless reports. With Perplexity Pro, professionals can boost productivity by pulling competitive insights, summarising industry papers, and turning spreadsheets into interactive dashboards in seconds.“Perplexity has a free offering, which offers powerful search functions, while the Pro version provides enhanced capabilities for professionals and heavy users. Perplexity Pro includes more daily Pro searches per user, access to advanced AI models (e.g., GPT 4.1, Claude) and the ability to select specific models, deep research, image generation, file uploads and analysis, as well as Perplexity Labs, a unique tool that brings ideas to life. Perplexity Pro is priced globally at *INR 17000 for a year,” Airtel said in a press statement.
How to avail Perplexity Pro at no cost with Airtel
Those interested can follow the steps below:
- Step 1: Open the Airtel Thanks app on your device.
- Step 2: Tap the “Rewards and OTTs” section from the home menu.
- Step 3: Locate the “Perplexity Pro” offer banner and select it.
- Step 4: Click “Claim Now” and proceed with sign-in (Gmail/Apple ID recommended).
- Step 5: Enjoy instant access to the Perplexity Pro tool and its complete feature set.
Who can access the offer
As announced by the telecom company, eligible users include:
- All Airtel prepaid and postpaid mobile customers.
- All Airtel Wi-Fi
- All Airtel DTH subscribers.
OpenAI offers ChatGPT Go for free in India
Starting November 4, 2025, Sam Altman-led OpenAI is giving ChatGPT GO subscription for free to all users in India. The move is aimed to counter rival Google and Perplexity which as mentioned above has partnered with leading telecom operators Jio and Airtel to offer access to their respective AI models for free.
What is ChatGPT Go
ChatGPT Go is a low-cost subscription plan that provides expanded access to ChatGPT’s most popular features at an affordable price. The price costs Rs 399 per month in India. As listed on OpenAI help page, ChatGPT Go offers everything included in the Free plan, along with:
- Extended access to GPT-5: Enjoy more usage of our flagship model.
- Extended access to image generation: Create more images for work or play.
- Extended access to file uploads: Analyze and work with more documents, spreadsheets, and other files.
- Extended access to advanced data analysis: Use tools like Python for data exploration and problem-solving more often.
- Longer memory for more personalized responses: Keep conversations flowing with a larger context window.
- Access to projects, tasks, and custom GPTs: Organize your work, track progress, and create / edit custom GPTs to build AI tools tailored to your needs.
Who are eligible
As stated by OpenAI on its help page, eligibility and terms to get free access to ChatGPT Go for 12 months are as follows:
- One must be physically located in India to be eligible for the promotion, and must be new to ChatGPT, a current free user, or an existing ChatGPT Go subscriber with your account in good standing.
- If one intends to subscribe on Android through the Google Play store, he/she must both be physically located in India and have your Play store account location set to India.
- A user must provide a method of payment (Credit Card or UPI) to enroll into the promotion. He/she will not be charged a subscription fee till the 12-month period ends (see special note on UPI payments, below). Also, there is no need to enter a promo code to redeem the promotion. At the end of the 12-month period, OpenAI will automatically charge the payment method the current monthly ChatGPT Go fee unless one cancels in advance.
- Additionally, one can redeem the promotion one time per account during the promotion redemption period. If a user cancels their subscription after redemption, it will no longer be available for him/her to redeem.
Note on UPI payments: OpenAI clarifies that if one uses UPI for redeeming the promotion, he/she may temporarily see a charge of INR (₹) 1 on their account every billing basis. The charge is required for purposes of using UPI as a payment method, and will be refunded.
How to get ChatGPT Go for free
OpenAI has listed steps to access ChatGPT Go for free. These includeStep 1: Sign up for ChatGPT, if you’re new, or login to your account if you already have one.Step 2: Click on Try ChatGPT Go or go to Settings → Account → Try ChatGPT GoStep 3: During checkout, add a payment method – you will not be charged (see special note on UPI).Step 4: Upon completion of checkout, your promotional subscription will be active, and renew automatically on a monthly basis for 12 months.Step 5: You can review terms from Settings → Account anytime.If you have already subscribed to ChatGPT Go from ChatGPT Web, or Google Play store, OpenAI will automatically move your next billing date back by 12 months. No action is required on your part. However, if you have subscribed to ChatGPT Go from the Apple app store, you must cancel your current subscription, wait for the end of your final billing period and then redeem from the Apple app store.
