AI Studio Project Setup

Google AI Studio is designed for rapid prototyping, but it doesn't float in a vacuum. It is backed by Google Cloud Platform (GCP). While you can start for free, understanding the project structure is vital for scaling.

1. The Google Account

You can log in with a standard @gmail.com account or a Google Workspace (business) account.

• Personal: Easiest for learning.
• Workspace: Requires your admin to enable "Early Access Apps" or specific GCP permissions in the admin console. If you hit "Access Denied," talk to your IT admin.

2. Creating a Project

When you first generate an API key, AI Studio asks to "Create a new project."

• Under the hood: This creates a GCP Project.
• Why care?: If you later want to use Vertex AI or deploy your app to Cloud Run, you will use this same project ID.

3. The Free Tier vs. Paid Plan

Gemini API offers a generous Free Tier:

• Rate Limits: ~15 requests per minute (RPM).
• Data Use: Your input/output may be used to train Google's models.

Pay-As-You-Go:

• Rate Limits: Much higher (e.g., 1000+ RPM).
• Data Use: Private. Data is NOT used for training.
• Billing: You must link a credit card to the underlying GCP Project.

Setting Up Billing (Optional but Recommended)

1. Go to console.cloud.google.com.
2. Select the project created by AI Studio (often named fabulous-gemini-1234).
3. Navigate to Billing.
4. Link a Billing Account.

Note: Using the Paid tier is the only way to guarantee enterprise-grade data privacy.

Summary

• AI Studio creates a real GCP project for you.
• Use the Free Tier for learning.
• Switch to Paid when you need privacy or higher rate limits.

In the next lesson, we will learn how to manage Datasets and Storage within Studio.