Google hits 150 million users for subscription service with help of AI

Google One just hit 150 million subscribers, up 50 percent since February 2024, as Alphabet leans hard into AI-powered subscriptions to offset slowing ad revenue. Their new $19.99 AI tier added millions of users alone. But here’s the twist for the paper packaging industry: this signals a digital shift in consumer behavior that could reduce demand for physical media, mailing inserts, and printed promotions. As more brands follow Google’s lead into AI subscription models, packaging may need to evolve—think QR-enabled boxes and smart labels—to stay relevant in a digitized, ad-light world.https://www.reuters.com/business/google-hits-150-million-users-subscription-service-with-help-ai-2025-05-15/

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