Google’s rolling out an AI-themed visual tweak for paid accounts

Google seems to be on a mission to fill its software with as many visual reminders of Gemini as possible. Google recently launched new Gemini integration for Chrome on Android that adds a prominent Gemini button to the browser’s UI. Now, users on Google’s paid AI plans are starting to see a new, Gemini-themed effect appearing around their Google Account profile pictures.

We saw this new effect in development in June. Now, as spotted by 9to5Google, some customers on Google’s paid subscription plans have started seeing a Gemini-themed, blue-and-purple ring replace the standard four-color ring that’s denoted a Google One subscription for some time now. Subscribers on lower-tier plans are also being nudged to upgrade to Ultra.

The new Gemini-themed ring is appearing throughout the Google ecosystem. 9to5 reports that it’s reaching subscribers “on a per-device basis,” and that it’ll likely appear across most of your Google apps all at the same time.

Commenters say that they’ve got updated version on Google One Basic and Google One Standard subscriptions, too, despite those plans not being explicitly AI-branded. Sure enough, I’m also seeing the change on my personal Google account, which is on the Standard subscription.

This updated graphic won’t change much for users, of course. Slightly more grating is a new button showing up in the Google Account menu on Android that encourages users on the company’s lower-tier paid AI plans to “Upgrade to Google AI Ultra,” its highest-end subscription offering that comes in at a whopping $99.99 per month.

Per the report, this updated visual isn’t showing up for most users yet. If you’re subscribed to any Google One or Google AI plan, keep an eye out for it appearing around your Google profile photo soon.