Google Unveils Three Gemini Models Without 3.5 Pro Update

Google DeepMind has introduced three new Gemini models: Gemini 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, and 3.5 Flash Cyber. The Gemini 3.6 Flash model is described as the company’s “workhorse,” offering enhanced capabilities in coding, knowledge work, and multimodal tasks, while reducing token consumption by up to 17% compared to the earlier 3.5 Flash model, thereby lowering operational costs.

The 3.5 Flash-Lite model is positioned as the most cost-efficient option among the new releases. Meanwhile, the 3.5 Flash Cyber model is tailored specifically for identifying and resolving cybersecurity vulnerabilities and will be accessible exclusively to governments and trusted partners through a limited pilot program.

Google emphasized that these new models prioritize improvements in efficiency, latency, and reliability, catering to customers developing AI agents at scale. Notably, the rollout does not include an update to the flagship Gemini Pro model, which has not been refreshed since February.

Since that last Gemini Pro update, competitors have accelerated their release schedules. OpenAI has launched GPT-5.5 and initiated the deployment of GPT-5.6, while Anthropic has introduced Claude Opus 4.8, Claude Sonnet 5, and expanded access to its frontier Fable 5 model, underscoring the rapid pace of innovation among rival AI developers.

Google had previously hinted at the Gemini 3.5 Pro release during the launch of 3.5 Flash in May, stating that the Pro version was “already being used internally” with plans for a public rollout “next month.” However, Bloomberg reported last week that internal delays had hindered the launch of 3.5 Pro due to challenges in meeting performance targets.

Gemini Pro models represent Google’s top-tier offerings designed for complex reasoning and coding tasks, whereas Flash models focus on delivering lower costs and faster response times suited for production environments.

Logan Kilpatrick, product lead at Google DeepMind, stated on Tuesday that testing of Gemini 3.5 Pro is ongoing with partners and expressed optimism about an imminent release. He also revealed that the team has commenced the most ambitious pre-training run yet for Gemini 4.