Google Unveils Three New Gemini Models, But No 3.5 Pro in Sight
Google DeepMind has released three new Gemini models: Gemini 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, and 3.5 Flash Cyber. The Gemini 3.6 Flash is touted as Google’s ‘workhorse model,’ boasting improved capabilities in coding, knowledge work, and multimodal performance. This model promises to reduce token usage by up to 17%, making it cheaper than its predecessor, Gemini 3.5 Flash.
Key Features of the New Gemini Models
The Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is the most cost-effective model in the class, offering a balance between performance and affordability. On the other hand, the Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber is a specialized model fine-tuned for finding and fixing cybersecurity vulnerabilities. This model will be exclusively available to governments and trusted partners as part of a limited access pilot program, according to Google.
Google emphasizes that the focus of these releases is to deliver efficiency, latency, and reliability to customers building AI agents at scale. The launch of these new models is notable not only for what Google shipped but also for what it didn’t. The update doesn’t include the long-anticipated update to Google’s flagship model, Gemini Pro, which was last updated in February.
What’s Missing: The Gemini Pro Model
In the time since the Gemini 3.5 Flash launch, OpenAI has released GPT-5.5 and begun rolling out GPT-5.6, while Anthropic has launched Claude Opus 4.8 and Claude Sonnet 5 and expanded access to its frontier Fable 5 model. This highlights the intense release pace of rival labs.
Google teased the release of Pro as part of the 3.5 Flash release in May, saying the Pro version was ‘already being used internally, and we look forward to rolling it out next month.’ However, last week, Bloomberg reported that Google was facing internal delays in launching the 3.5 Pro as it struggled to meet internal performance goals.
Gemini Pro models are generally Google’s highest-capability offerings for complex reasoning and coding tasks, while Flash models prioritize lower cost and faster response times for production applications.
Google DeepMind product lead Logan Kilpatrick said Tuesday that the company is currently testing Gemini 3.5 Pro with partners and hopes to ‘land soon.’ He also noted that the team has started its most ambitious pre-training run yet for Gemini 4.
Implications and Future Directions
The release of these new Gemini models marks a significant step forward for Google DeepMind in the AI landscape. However, the absence of the 3.5 Pro model has raised eyebrows, particularly given the intense competition in the market. As the AI industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how Google DeepMind addresses the delays and how the new models perform in real-world applications.
The future of AI is rapidly unfolding, and Google’s Gemini models will play a crucial role in shaping the industry. With the company’s focus on efficiency, latency, and reliability, it’s clear that Google DeepMind is committed to delivering high-quality AI solutions to customers.
In conclusion, the release of the three new Gemini models is a significant development in the AI landscape, but the absence of the 3.5 Pro model raises questions about Google DeepMind’s ability to meet internal performance goals.
