Gemini Experimental in Google Cloud is free but requires a Billing Account

[limpid lion]

As stated in Google AI emails, they recommend AI project that only want to use free tier to disable the Google Cloud billing. So I did create a new project with no billing account.

Vertex AI does propose a free of charge offer: Gemini Experimental. You can query a new model from Gemini 1.5 family for free with a rate limit of 2 queries per minute. I wanted to ensure I won't pay anything so I tried Gemini Experimental in my billing disabled project. What an unpleasant surprise to see that Gemini Experimental requires Vertex AI API, and Vertex AI API requires billing.

It feels like I can't protect myself from unintentionally billing my account when testing Gemini Experimental.

[waxen pond]

This isn't a bug, this is intended, you need to have a billing account because while the gemini experiment one is free, you still need a valid billing account

If your projects are not linked to an active, valid Cloud Billing account, you will not be able to use the products and services enabled in your projects. This is true even if your projects only use Google Cloud or Google Maps Platform services that are free.

Can't send the link because it's blocked but here

[limpid lion]

In my opinion it's a bug because it's incoherent to ask for a valid billing account for something free.

I have disabled the billing on purpose, I have a project with billing enabled but I wanted to avoid any mistake. That's how Google AI works.

[waxen pond]

It's not a bug, read the quote I sent

[waxen pond]

.

"This is true even if your Google Cloud or Google Maps Platform serviced are free"

[limpid lion]

Once again Google AI or Cloud Storage works differently.

[waxen pond]

It's still on Google Cloud

[limpid lion]

And I'm free to report what I believe to be something not working as it should.

[waxen pond]

It refers to everything on Google cloud

[waxen pond]

And I'm just letting you know it's working as it should

And that is how it's intended

If you're using something on Google cloud which is free then you still need a valid billing account

As stated by Google

And from your screenshot I can see you're on Google cloud

[limpid lion]

What's the point of giving feedback if it's for someone not even from Google to dismiss that feedback. That's my feedback, I believe it should work differently, that's all.

[waxen pond]

It's not feedback, you've stated this is a bug, I've told you it's not a big and this is how it's indeed

If you want to make a suggestion then I recommend going to #1081127666297602178

This is the bug reports forum and it's not a bug so nothing is going to happen

And one of the main reasons they require billing for free things is to prevent people from abusing the free stuff

As it requires an active valid card to use

So it stops people making a bunch of accounts and abusing that free service

[limpid lion]

If any moderator feels it should be moved, they can do so. In the meantime I understand there might motivation, but once again I believe it should work the same way App Engine Standard or Google AI given it's AI.

Additionally I have a billing account I just disabled it for that project to have any accidental billing. It's different. So my use case is valid.

[waxen pond]

Again, it's not, if you disabled your billing account then it is not active, you need to have an active billing account