Google’s next flagship AI model is taking longer to arrive than expected. Gemini 3.5 Pro was expected to launch soon after Google IO, but that is no longer the case. The company has pushed back the release to spend more time improving the model. Google has not confirmed the reported reason for the delay, but it says testing is still underway before a wider rollout.
Reports claim coding performance caused the delay
Google’s next flagship AI model may take longer to arrive than many expected. As reported by Bloomberg, Google has delayed the release of Gemini 3.5 Pro because the model reportedly fell short of the company’s internal goals, especially in coding tasks. The report says the launch is now expected to happen months later than originally planned.
As reported by Reuters, the delay was first revealed through Bloomberg’s reporting. Reuters said people familiar with the matter claimed engineers are still improving the model before making it available to users. Google has not publicly confirmed that coding performance is the reason for the reported delay.
The company is facing strong competition in the AI market. Rivals continue to release new models with better coding, reasoning and business features. That has increased pressure on every major AI developer. Gemini 3.5 Pro is expected to become Google’s most capable AI model. Because of that, the company appears willing to wait instead of releasing a product that does not meet its own standards.
Google stays focused on testing
Google is yet to announce the new launch date. As reported by CNBC, Alphabet shares fell 4% after reports about the delay appeared. Investors were also watching Google’s progress in artificial intelligence as competition continues to grow. Google responded by saying it is still testing Gemini 3.5 Pro and other advanced models with trusted partners before a wider release.
As reported by Yahoo Finance, the reported delay added to investor concerns about Alphabet’s AI progress. The report noted that stronger competition and higher expectations have placed extra attention on every new Google AI launch. Large language models need to perform well across many tasks before reaching the public. Google has followed a similar approach before by improving products through testing before launching them to more users.
AI race continues to grow
The reported delay does not mean Google is leaving the AI race behind. The company continues to invest heavily in artificial intelligence across Search, Workspace, Android and many other products. Gemini remains one of Google’s biggest long-term projects. At the same time, companies such as Open AI, Anthropic, Meta and several Chinese AI firms continue to release stronger models. That means Google faces growing pressure to deliver a product that performs well across coding, reasoning and everyday tasks.
For now, Gemini 3.5 Pro remains under development. Google has not confirmed when the model will launch, and the reported reasons for the delay remain based on media reports rather than an official company announcement. Still, the coming months will be important as the AI race continues to move at a very fast pace.
Author’s Opinion
Waiting a little longer can be the right choice when building advanced AI. If Google believes Gemini 3.5 Pro needs more work, improving it before launch is better than rushing out a model that fails to meet user expectations. In today’s AI race, quality matters just as much as speed.
