Google's Gemini 4 Nears Launch as DeepMind Chief Vows Fast Ship

New DeepMind chief Koray Kavukcuoglu says Gemini 4 is in its refinement stage and Google aims to launch it much earlier than the end of 2026.

Google is reportedly nearing the launch of its long-awaited Gemini 4 model, according to The Verge. In his first media appearance since taking over Google's DeepMind division, Koray Kavukcuoglu told The Information that the model is currently in its refinement stage and that Google is aiming to launch "much earlier" than the end of the year. "Our intention is to, like — as soon as possible — to release an early post-training output because we see the results and we are excited," he said, adding that Google would "continue the fast-paced iterations" going forward. GuruFocus reports the model is in the early post-training phase, and Bol News likewise describes it as close to release. The comments mark Google's clearest signal yet that a new flagship is imminent.

Google hasn't released a new flagship AI model since the Gemini 3 series in November 2025. In the interim, OpenAI launched its GPT-6 models and Anthropic released its Mythos series — both of which outperform Gemini 3, giving rival AI providers a sizable lead over Google in the AI race, as Bol News reports. The pressure showed: Google CEO Sundar Pichai promised at the May I/O event that a major Gemini 3.5 Pro update would arrive in June to help bridge the gap, but the model was never rolled out. Kavukcuoglu said Google "took a little bit of a step back" and instead focused on faster, less powerful Flash models rather than shipping 3.5 Pro. Gemini 4 now represents Google's first next-generation flagship since the Gemini 3 series launched last year.

The push comes after a shakeup at DeepMind's top leadership. Former AI head Demis Hassabis stepped down in August after announcing that "great progress" was being made on Gemini 4, The Verge reports, and Kavukcuoglu's interview with The Information was his first media appearance as the division's leader. The timing suggests Google is trying to return to a more consistent AI release timeline under new management after a year in which it repeatedly fell behind rivals on flagship launches. Asked whether he was worried about Google trailing its competitors, Kavukcuoglu was defiant: "In my mind, it's a certainty that we are always gonna be at the frontier."

GuruFocus notes that Kavukcuoglu also emphasized the importance of safety testing and the development of protective mechanisms for the new model, which could have implications well beyond consumer chatbots.

According to GuruFocus, the launch could greatly impact Google's hardware business, particularly its production of AI chips known as TPUs, giving the model release significance beyond the software race. The company's willingness to skip 3.5 Pro altogether signals that Google is staking its comeback on the new model rather than incremental bridge releases.

All three outlets point to an imminent window: the model is in refinement or early post-training, and Google's stated intention is to release an early post-training output "as soon as possible." Kavukcuoglu framed the release as the start of a faster cadence, saying Google would continue fast-paced iterations rather than treating Gemini 4 as a one-off. Bol News characterizes the comments as suggesting Google may return to a steadier release schedule after the leadership transition. For now, no specific launch date has been announced — only the promise of "much earlier" than the end of 2026 — leaving the exact timing, pricing, and capability details of Google's flagship comeback to be revealed in the weeks ahead.