In mid-May, Google announced Gemini 3.5 Flash at I/O 2026, promising the Pro version would arrive in June. That deadline has passed with no update. According to Bloomberg, the delay stems from efforts to improve the model's coding capabilities. A late June update to training data yielded disappointing results, suggesting a reset in development.
Coding weaknesses stall the release of Gemini 3.5 Pro
Bloomberg reported that Google is taking extra time to enhance Gemini 3.5 Pro's performance, particularly in coding. The company updated training data in late June, but the outcome was below expectations. This has pushed back the launch beyond the initial June window. Performance in other domains remains unclear; the previous Gemini 3.1 Pro dates back to February. Google stated that it is currently testing 3.5 Pro, an upgraded Flash model, and other models with partners, emphasizing a rapid shipping strategy while keeping models cost-effective.
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Internal AI adoption: 75% of Google's new code is AI-generated
Despite external delays, internally Google has embraced AI extensively. As of April, 75% of all new code at Google is AI-generated and approved by engineers, up from 50% last fall. This highlights the critical role of AI in Google's development pipeline. However, some ex-employees note that purist engineers believe important code should be human-written to meet Google's standards. Additionally, there are reports of AI capacity constraints for internal tools, and Google is working to unify its various AI coding tools currently managed by separate teams (DeepMind, Cloud, Android Studio).
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Upgraded Flash model in testing as a bridging strategy
While Pro is delayed, Google has confirmed it is testing an upgraded Flash model with partners. This could indicate a strategy to strengthen the Flash lineup before releasing the Pro version. Since I/O, Gemini app updates have focused on user experience and the Spark agent, temporarily neglecting foundation models. The coding competition remains fierce, with rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic advancing rapidly. For more context on Google's AI challenges, read the article about the EU order requiring Google to give rival AI apps the same Android access as Gemini. For further details on the Gemini model family, see the Wikipedia page on Google Gemini.
Source: https://9to5google.com/2026/07/16/gemini-3-5-pro-delays
