Google Rushes Gemini 4 Release
Gemini 4 to launch 'much earlier' than year-end, currently in post-training and safety testing, according to Google DeepMind head Koray Kavukcuoglu
Story timeline7 updates
Google will limit free users to Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite model starting October 9.
Gemini 4 Argon will launch at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens.
Gemini 4 Argon is now available to trusted cyber defenders through Google's Fairwind Program.
Google is killing off Google Assistant in favor of Gemini on mobile devices.
Google is shutting down Gemini's 'Gems' feature, migrating it to 'skills' on November 17, 2026.
Google is sunsetting Gemini Gems, migrating them to Skills starting November 17.
Story published. Gemini 4 to launch 'much earlier' than year-end, currently in post-training and safety testing, according to Google DeepMind head Koray Kavukcuoglu
Google is accelerating the release of its Gemini 4 model, aiming to launch it 'much earlier' than the end of the year. The model is currently in the post-training phase, where engineers refine its behavior and test its safety.
Koray Kavukcuoglu, the head of Google DeepMind, expressed excitement about the results and intends to release an early post-training output as soon as possible. Kavukcuoglu spoke on stage at The Information’s AI Agenda Live conference, his first media appearance since taking over Google DeepMind.
The release of Gemini 4 will be the first major launch under Kavukcuoglu's leadership, who took over after Demis Hassabis gave up the day-to-day running of Google DeepMind in an August reshuffle. Google is also testing Gemini 4 inside its Antigravity coding tool.
The accelerated release comes as Google's rivals have made significant moves in the market. Anthropic launched Claude Opus 5.5 on 22 September, and OpenAI cut GPT-6 prices in half with its Sol and Luna models on the same day.
## Why it matters The release of Gemini 4 is crucial for Google, as its flagship model has lagged behind its cheaper models this year. The company's rivals have moved quickly, launching new models and cutting prices. Google's ability to deliver Gemini 4 ahead of schedule will be closely watched, as it seeks to regain its position in the market.
The success of Gemini 4 will also be a test of Kavukcuoglu's leadership, who has expressed confidence in his team's ability to deliver. With the utmost trust in the team, Kavukcuoglu believes that Google will always be at the frontier of innovation.
