Tech Desk: Google has added YouTube Premium Lite as a new perk for its AI Pro subscribers, but there’s a significant catch for a large segment of users. Those enjoying the complimentary 18-month Google AI Pro subscription via Reliance Jio SIM cards will not be eligible for this ad-free YouTube experience during their trial period.

Vikas Kansal, product lead for Gemini AI subscriptions at Google, clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that the free YouTube Premium Lite benefit is exclusively for paying Google AI Pro members. This means if you’re on the free Jio-bundled plan, you’ll need to convert to a paid subscription after your trial ends to access Premium Lite, adding a layer of disappointment for many.

YouTube Premium Lite offers ad-free viewing on most videos, along with support for offline downloads and background play. However, it’s crucial to note its limitations: ads may still appear on YouTube Music, Shorts, and in search results. It also doesn’t include YouTube Music Premium, nor features like Continue Watching, Jump Ahead, or high-quality audio-video for all content.

This news comes amidst other changes to the Google AI Pro plan, including a quiet shift from daily prompt limits to a compute-based allocation system with a five-hour rolling window. These adjustments, coupled with the exclusion from the YouTube Premium Lite benefit, have sparked considerable backlash from users, particularly on platforms like Reddit, highlighting growing dissatisfaction with Google’s recent subscription policy tweaks.