Bridging the AI Gap: Why the New "Expanded Access" Tier is a Game Changer
The "One-Size-Fits-All" Era of AI is Over
AI expanded access
For the past year, Google Workspace customers have enjoyed a "golden era" of exploration. Many Business and Enterprise plans have included generous promotional access to advanced features like Gemini 3 Pro and Veo 3.1 image generation.
However, as announced in the recent February 2026 updates, the landscape is shifting. On March 1, 2026, the promotional usage limits on standard plans will expire. This introduces a critical decision point for IT leaders: How do we maintain high-performance AI access for our specialized teams without overspending on unnecessary licenses?
Enter AI Expanded Access—Google’s newly launched add-on designed specifically to bridge the gap between everyday AI assistance and the ultra-high-performance needs of data scientists and developers.
What is AI Expanded Access?
Think of your current Google Workspace AI features (like "Help me write" in Docs) as a standard digital assistant. It’s perfect for 80% of your workforce who need help drafting emails or summarizing meetings.
AI Expanded Access is a new add-on license that unlocks significantly higher compute power and advanced model capabilities. It sits right in the middle: more powerful than the standard Business/Enterprise features, but more accessible than the top-tier "AI Ultra" (formerly Ultra for Business).
3 Key Capabilities Unlocked by this Add-on
This isn't just about "more credits." It is about access to specific models that fundamentally change how specialized roles work.
1. Deep Reasoning with Gemini 3 Pro
While standard users access efficient, fast models, Expanded Access users get priority access to Gemini 3 Pro within the Gemini app.
The Difference: This model doesn't just "chat"; it reasons. It excels at complex financial forecasting, multi-step strategic logic, and coding assistance.
Target Role: Financial Analysts, Strategists, and Senior Developers.
2. Cinematic Production with Veo 3.1 & Flow
The standard video tools in Workspace are great for quick updates. However, Expanded Access integrates Veo 3.1 and grants 2,000 monthly credits for Flow.
The Difference: This allows for high-fidelity, cinematic video generation and the use of lifelike AI avatars. Marketing teams can now produce broadcast-quality social assets internally, turning a text prompt into a video in minutes.
Target Role: Marketing Teams, Brand Managers, and L&D Creators.
3. The Research Powerhouse: NotebookLM Premium
NotebookLM has become a favorite for legal and research teams. The Expanded Access version turbocharges this tool.
The Difference: It supports larger source libraries (more PDFs/Docs per notebook) and offers higher limits for generating "Audio Overviews"—converting complex documentation into engaging, podcast-style audio summaries.
Target Role: Legal Counsel, Researchers, and Academic Administrators.
Comparison: Where Does it Fit?
To help you visualize where this new license fits in your stack, here is a breakdown of the new three-tier AI ecosystem:
| Feature | Standard Plan (Business/Enterprise) |
AI Expanded Access (The New "Sweet Spot") |
AI Ultra Access (Top Tier R&D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Use Case | Everyday efficiency (Email, Docs, Summaries) |
Deep reasoning & Creative production | Heavy R&D, Agentic Workflows & Complex Coding |
| Model Power | Gemini Flash / Standard | Gemini 3 Pro | Gemini Ultra / Project Mariner |
| Video Tools | Basic Generation | Veo 3.1 (High Limits) | Veo 3.1 (Highest Limits) |
| Flow Credits | Limited / Pay-as-you-go | 2,000 Credits / Month | 25,000 Credits / Month |
| Speech Tools | Standard Captions | Real-Time Translation | Real-Time Translation |
The Evonence Strategy: Audit Before You Buy
At Evonence, we advise against a blanket rollout. The beauty of the AI Expanded Access add-on is that it allows for a mixed-licensing strategy.
You don't need to upgrade your entire domain. Instead, we recommend a role-based audit:
Keep the Generalists on Standard: Your Sales Reps and HR Admins are likely well-served by the standard Gemini features included in their existing plan.
Upgrade the Specialists: Identify the 10-20% of your workforce (Creative Directors, Data Analysts) who are hitting daily limits or need the reasoning power of Gemini 3 Pro. Assign the Expanded Access license only to them.
Next Steps: Beat the March 1st Shift
The promotional high-usage limits for standard Business and Enterprise plans are set to expire on March 1, 2026. After this date, your power users may experience throttled speeds or reduced daily quotas if they remain on the standard plan.
Don't let your team's productivity stall. Contact Evonence today for a Gemini Usage Audit. We will help you identify exactly which users need the Expanded Access add-on and which are fine to stay put, ensuring you get maximum AI power for minimum spend.
