Tech Beetle briefing IN AI

Google says Gemini 4 will help it catch up with OpenAI, Anthropic despite AI coding gap

Essential brief

Google plans to advance its AI capabilities with the upcoming Gemini 4 model, aiming to close the gap with competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic. Despite acknowledging current shortcomings in AI co

Key topics

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Key facts

Google's Gemini 4 model aims to improve AI coding and autonomous agent capabilities to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic.

Gemini 3.5 Pro was delayed due to underperformance, leading to the introduction of Gemini 3.6 Flash and specialized variants.

Gemini's monthly active users increased to 950 million, indicating growing adoption despite challenges.

Google Cloud revenue rose 82% year over year, driven by demand for AI infrastructure and enterprise tools.

Highlights

Gemini 4 is Google's largest and most ambitious AI model to date, expected to deliver noticeable improvements.

Gemini 3.5 Pro failed to meet internal expectations in coding and autonomous AI, causing delays.

New models like Gemini 3.6 Flash focus on stronger coding performance and cost efficiency.

Gemini's user base grew from 750 million to 950 million monthly active users between late 2025 and mid-2026.

Google Cloud revenue reached $24.8 billion, up 82% year over year, fueled by AI-related demand.

Why it matters

The development of Gemini 4 is significant as it represents Google's strategic effort to close the gap with leading AI competitors in critical areas like coding and autonomous AI. As AI technologies become increasingly integral to enterprise and consumer applications, advancements in these models will influence the broader AI landscape and market dynamics. Google's progress also reflects the growing demand for efficient and powerful AI infrastructure worldwide.

Google is preparing to launch its Gemini 4 AI model, which it believes will help the company catch up with rivals OpenAI and Anthropic in key areas such as AI coding and autonomous agent capabilities. During Alphabet's recent earnings call, CEO Sundar Pichai addressed concerns about Google falling behind in AI development, emphasizing that Gemini 4 is the most ambitious and largest-scale model the company has built to date. Although specific technical details were not disclosed, Pichai indicated that the new model will offer noticeable performance improvements upon release.

The announcement follows reports that the Gemini 3.5 Pro model was delayed after failing to meet Google's internal standards in coding performance and autonomous AI tasks. Competitors like OpenAI with Codex and Anthropic with Claude Code have made significant progress in these areas, prompting Google to focus on refining its models.

In response, Google introduced the Gemini 3.6 Flash model, which provides stronger coding performance and improved cost efficiency by reducing token usage. Additionally, the company launched Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite for lower-cost applications and Gemini 3.5 Flash Cyber, a cybersecurity-focused model available to select government and enterprise partners. Gemini 3.5 Pro remains in testing with partners ahead of a broader release.

Despite challenges with its flagship AI models, Google reports that Gemini's user base continues to grow, reaching 950 million monthly active users, up from 750 million in late 2025. This growth reflects increasing adoption of Google's AI tools across various sectors.

Alphabet also reported strong financial results, with Google Cloud revenue increasing 82% year over year to $24.8 billion. This growth is driven by rising demand for AI infrastructure and enterprise AI solutions, highlighting the expanding market for advanced AI technologies.

Google's efforts with Gemini 4 demonstrate its commitment to advancing AI capabilities and maintaining competitiveness in a rapidly evolving industry.

Key topics in this update include google, gemini, and will help.