According to Android Authority, Google launched Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro last week to overwhelmingly positive response, but the surge in usage has forced immediate rate limit adjustments. Free users previously got five prompts daily with Gemini 3 Pro, matching Gemini 2.5 Pro access, but now receive only “Basic access” with Google warning “daily limits may change frequently.” Nano Banana Pro image generation dropped from three to two images per day for free users, with Google citing high demand for image generation and editing. Even NotebookLM temporarily rolled back Infographics and Slide Decks features for free users, while Pro subscribers face additional limits. These changes happened within days of the new AI tools launching as Google struggles with capacity constraints.
The AI demand reality check
Here’s the thing about cutting-edge AI – it’s incredibly expensive to run. When Google drops a major upgrade like Gemini 3 Pro, the compute costs skyrocket. Every prompt, every image generation, every analysis burns through server resources that directly translate to Google’s cloud bill. So when they say “high demand,” what they really mean is “our infrastructure costs are exploding faster than we anticipated.”
And honestly, this isn’t surprising. Google basically released three major AI upgrades simultaneously – Gemini 3 Pro for general tasks, Nano Banana Pro for images, and enhanced NotebookLM features. That’s like opening three new theme park attractions on the same day. The lines were always going to be insane. The real question is whether Google underestimated demand or simply decided free users would bear the brunt of capacity constraints.
The freemium squeeze
Look, this is classic freemium model behavior. Get people hooked with generous free tiers, then gradually tighten the screws to push them toward paid plans. At $20 monthly for the AI Pro Plan, Google’s making the value proposition pretty clear. But what’s interesting is how quickly they had to adjust. Usually companies wait months before cutting free access – Google did it in days.
Basically, the message is: if you’re serious about using these tools, you need to pay up. Free access is becoming more of a teaser than a usable service. And with Google Discover integration potentially driving even more traffic to these AI features, the capacity issues might get worse before they get better.
NotebookLM’s growing pains
Even NotebookLM, which has been relatively stable, is feeling the strain. The temporary rollback of Infographics and Slide Decks features shows this isn’t just about the flashy new toys. The NotebookLM team acknowledged they’re dealing with capacity constraints across the board. When even your research-focused AI tool is hitting limits, you know demand is through the roof.
I think we’re seeing the natural growing pains of AI going mainstream. These tools aren’t niche experiments anymore – they’re becoming part of people’s daily workflows. And when that happens, infrastructure that seemed sufficient suddenly becomes inadequate. The real test will be how quickly Google can scale up to meet this unexpected demand without alienating the free users who helped build the buzz.
