KT is rolling out a new plan that includes Google's artificial intelligence (AI) subscription service "Google AI Plus" as a standard benefit. The carrier prepared the new plan to coincide with the launch of new Z series devices, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 from Samsung Electronics, coming next month.
According to the industry on the 16th, KT will launch plans next month including "Choice Double YouTube Premium + Google AI Plus," "Choice 90 Google AI Plus," "Choice 110 Google AI Plus" and "Choice 130 Google AI Plus."
Google AI Plus is Google's paid AI subscription service. It includes access to Gemini 3.1 Pro, the image generation model Nano Banana Pro, the report-writing model DeepResearch, the data analysis–focused model NotebookLM, and the video creation model Flow. It offers 400 gigabytes (GB) of cloud storage, and the subscription is 7,500 won per month if purchased from Google.
KT's unlimited data "Choice Double" plan (120,000 won) previously included Disney+ Standard and a 5,500-won monthly discount on device insurance (Phone Care). The newly added "Choice Double YouTube Premium + Google AI Plus" plan provides a YouTube Premium Lite subscription and a Google AI Plus subscription.
The KT "Choice" plans (90,000–130,000 won) will also add a Google AI Plus subscription as an option. These plans previously offered unlimited data and one free paid subscription among online video services (OTT) such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus and Tving. Users can pay an additional 4,400 won per month to expand cloud storage to 2 terabytes (TB), or pay an additional 21,500 won per month to choose the higher-tier subscription plan "Google AI Pro." Google AI Pro provides 5 TB of cloud storage and higher Gemini usage limits.
Domestic carriers are rapidly introducing AI subscription services through their platforms and plans. SK Telecom added Google AI Plus and Google AI Pro to its subscription service platform "T Universe" in early this month. It discounts the monthly fee by 600–2,100 won regardless of carrier. It also embedded Google AI subscription products in the "Best Pro (119,000 won)" and "Best Max (129,000 won)" plans. LG Uplus is offering a discounted bundle combining YouTube Premium and Google AI services on its subscription service platform "U Dot." The new KT plans lower the entry barrier by offering AI subscriptions starting with plans in the 90,000-won range.
Behind carriers' inclusion of AI subscriptions in their plans is the steep rise in domestic demand for Generative AI. According to Microsoft (MS) think tank "AI Economy Institute," Korea's Generative AI usage rate (the share of the working-age population that has used Generative AI) reached 37.1% in the first quarter of this year, up 6.4 percentage points from the previous quarter. It was the steepest growth worldwide. As a result, AI subscriptions are emerging as a new pillar of plan benefits following OTT.
KT set a goal of capturing replacement demand for the new Galaxy Z series devices launching next month, centered on AI subscription plans. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 will be unveiled at the Galaxy Unpacked event in London, U.K., next week, followed by preorders and a launch in early next month. In materials introducing the new plans sent to sales outlets, KT noted, "New models (meaning Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8) can sign up for the new plans through preorders as well."
A KT official said, "KT is reviewing new AI benefits so customers can use AI services more broadly," adding, "We are preparing with the aim of unveiling them in August."