Google's Gemini API Surges Unexpectedly for Some Developers
A group of developers reported an unexpected surge in Gemini API charges, totaling over €54,000, after enabling Firebase AI Logic on their existing Firebase project. The sudden increase in usage occurred within a short overnight window and stopped once the API was disabled.
According to Google's support team, the charges were classified as valid usage because they originated from the developer's project, but they acknowledged that the activity was anomalous and not user-driven. Developers who experienced similar issues after enabling Firebase AI Logic or Gemini are being asked to come forward with their experiences.
Google has introduced new safeguards, including billing account caps, project spend caps, and automatic key shutdown in cases of public exposure. The company is also rolling out prepaid billing, which requires developers to pay ahead of time for using the Gemini API.
