- OpenAI reduces Sora to 6 video generations for free users
- Google has lowered Gemini 3 Pro limits for free users
- Nano Banana Pro imaging limit also lowered
If you’ve been using Sora or Gemini 3 Pro on a free plan, things have gotten a little more difficult. Both OpenAI and Google have quietly reduced the number of messages, videos and images that free users can generate, as demand increases and GPU costs skyrocket.
Bottom line: You’re getting less access than you were even a week ago.
Here’s what’s happening: OpenAI is limiting access to Sora 2, its AI video generation tool, to just six generations per day for free users, and Google has removed its promise of five messages per day on Gemini 3 Pro and reduced image generations, with Nano Banana Pro is reduced to just two per day for free users.
“Our GPUs are melting!”
Bill Peebles, head of Sora at OpenAI, tweeted: “Our GPUs are melting and we want to allow as many people as possible to access Sora!” He continued: “We are setting usage limits for free users at 6 generations per day.”
We are setting usage limits for free users at 6 generations/day. Chatgpt plus and pro users have unchanged limits and everyone can purchase additional gen as needed. Our GPUs are melting and we want to allow as many people as possible to access Sora!November 28, 2025
The line “GPU meltdown” refers to the massive computing demand caused by Sora’s videos. Generating videos and images consumes much more power than text, so rationing the number of videos free users can create should give OpenAI’s servers some downtime.
ChatGPT Plus and Pro users have unchanged limits and Peebles says “everyone can purchase additional generations as needed.” Of course, paying for generations of videos won’t appeal to people on the free plan.
Gemini 3 Pro Limits
Now, however, Google has announced, via a support article, that it is changing its out-of-the-box allocation for Gemini Pro. It no longer shows a daily reminder number, instead saying that free users will receive “basic access; daily limits may change frequently.” Image generation and editing with Nano Banana Pro is now fixed at two images per day.
For users with a Google AI plan, nothing has changed: they still receive up to 100 messages per day on Google AI Pro and up to 500 messages per day on Google AI Ultra.
a gentle push
The simultaneous clampdown by Google and OpenAI could be a coincidence, but they could also be an early sign of a maturing AI industry struggling with the enormous computing costs required for rapid image and video generation.
I wouldn’t be surprised if, over the next year, we see more of these small nudges pushing people towards paid plans, as business models start to catch up to the reality of the cost of running modern AI websites.
With demand exploding, GPUs overheating, and AI companies gently steering us toward paid tiers, the market could be changing. AI tools aren’t going anywhere, but their days of generous free access to top-tier models may be numbered.
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