Google launches Gemini 3 Flash

Google has launched Gemini 3 Flash, a new AI model designed to deliver faster responses and lower costs, and is now making it the default model in the Gemini app as well as in AI Mode within Google Search. The move signals Google’s push to bring more capable generative AI to everyday users while improving speed and efficiency at scale.

Gemini 3 Flash is a lightweight member of Google’s latest Gemini 3 model family. While it is not intended to replace the more advanced Gemini 3 Pro model, Flash is optimized for high-volume, real-time tasks that require strong reasoning without heavy computational demands. It supports multimodal inputs, meaning it can understand and generate responses based on text, images, and audio.

With this launch, Google has replaced the previous default model, Gemini 2.5 Flash, across most consumer experiences. Users opening the Gemini app will automatically interact with Gemini 3 Flash, though more advanced models remain available for tasks such as complex coding, math, or deep research. In Search’s AI Mode, the new model enables faster, more detailed answers, improving the overall responsiveness of AI-powered search results.

According to Google, Gemini 3 Flash performs competitively on internal benchmarks that measure reasoning, general knowledge, and multimodal understanding. Compared with earlier Flash models, it processes queries more efficiently and requires fewer resources, making it well-suited for large-scale deployment across consumer and enterprise products.

Developers can access Gemini 3 Flash through Google’s AI platforms, including the Gemini API, Google AI Studio, and Vertex AI, where it can be used to build chatbots, agents, and other AI-powered applications.

Overall, the rollout of Gemini 3 Flash reflects Google’s broader strategy to balance performance and efficiency, ensuring advanced AI capabilities are widely available while remaining competitive in a rapidly evolving AI market.

Techcrunch