Google Launches Free AI Coding Assistant With High Usage Limits

Google has introduced Gemini Code Assist for individuals, a free AI-powered coding assistant that offers significantly higher usage limits than competing tools like GitHub Copilot. The company also unveiled Gemini Code Assist for GitHub, an AI-powered code review agent designed to detect bugs and suggest improvements directly within GitHub.

Gemini Code Assist for Individuals: Key Features

Google’s new AI coding assistant enables developers to interact with a chat-based interface, allowing them to:

• Fix bugs and complete code sections using natural language queries.

• Understand complex codebases through AI-powered explanations.

• Integrate with popular coding environments like VS Code and JetBrains via plugins.

• Support multiple programming languages for versatile development needs.

Powered by a fine-tuned variant of Google’s Gemini 2.0 model, the tool boasts a 128,000-token context window—over four times larger than competitors’ offerings—allowing it to analyze and reason over larger and more complex codebases.

High Usage Limits Set Google Apart

One of the most notable aspects of Gemini Code Assist for individuals is its generous usage limits, which far exceed GitHub Copilot’s free plan:

• 180,000 code completions per month (90x more than Copilot’s free plan of 2000 code completions per month).

• 240 chat requests per day (5x more than Copilot’s free plan).

These limits make it one of the most accessible and powerful free AI coding assistants available today.

Gemini Code Assist for GitHub: AI-Powered Code Review

Alongside the individual assistant, Gemini Code Assist for GitHub acts as an AI-powered code reviewer, automatically scanning pull requests for:

• Potential bugs and errors before they are merged.

• Optimization suggestions to improve code quality.

This tool further strengthens Google’s position in AI-driven developer tools, directly competing with Microsoft and GitHub’s offerings.

What This Means

Google’s decision to offer a free AI coding assistant with high usage caps signals a bold move to attract developers early in their careers, hoping some will later transition to paid enterprise plans.

This launch also reflects the intensifying competition in AI-powered developer tools, especially as Google continues to challenge Microsoft and GitHub in this space. By hiring Ryan Salva, the former GitHub Copilot team lead, and integrating Gemini Code Assist into third-party tools like GitLab and Google Docs, Google is positioning itself as a serious contender in AI-assisted software development.

Looking Ahead

Google has been selling enterprise versions of Gemini Code Assist for the past year, offering features like audit logs, private repository support, and Google Cloud integration. As the company expands its developer ecosystem, its success will depend on how well Gemini Code Assist performs compared to competitors like GitHub Copilot and Amazon CodeWhisperer.

With the free public preview of Gemini Code Assist for individuals now open for sign-ups, developers have a new AI-powered tool to explore—one that could reshape the landscape of AI-assisted coding.

Developers can sign up for Gemini Code Assist for individuals on the official Gemini Code Assist website and follow the setup guide to integrate it with their preferred development environment.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.