#gemini

Nano Banana 2.1 is now live on Pika

Pika has made Nano Banana 2.1 available on its platform, incorporating Gemini intelligence alongside improvements in visual quality and speed.

Google begins rolling out Nano Banana 2.1 across GeminiApp, Search, and developer platforms

Google has started rolling out Nano Banana 2.1 across multiple surfaces, including GeminiApp, AI Mode in Search, GoogleAIStudio, FlowByGoogle, StitchByGoogle, Google Ads, and Gemini Enterprise Platform.

a16z analysis finds 4.5% of US consumers pay for ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude

Polymarket reports that an a16z analysis measures the paid subscription rate for ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude at 4.5% among U.S. consumers.

VeriHarness turns a base model into a verifier for long-horizon agent tasks

A Google paper, VeriHarness, uses the same base model to check both disputed and unanimous agent claims. With evidence-backed revision, it reports gains of 6.2 points with Gemini 3.5 Flash and 6.4 points with Claude Opus 4.8 over a single rollout.

shimrit ben-yair says Google AI Pro unlocks a 24/7 personal AI agent in Gemini

shimrit ben-yair says Google AI Pro can now unlock a 24/7 personal AI agent in Gemini to take on routine tasks. More information is on the Google AI plans page.

Paper finds personal AI agents recommend costlier options to users inferred as wealthy

A new paper reports that eight of 13 models chose more expensive flights, health insurance, or graduate-program options for users they inferred were wealthy, even when the request stayed identical. With Claude Opus 4.8, the gaps reach $198 per flight and $284 per month for insurance.

Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS supports scripted vocal bursts and backchanneling

Google says Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS and Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS can control tone, pacing, and expressive nuance with scripted non-verbal cues, including vocal bursts and short listening interjections.

Google AI releases Gemini 3.8 TTS models, Live Avatar, and Notebook updates

Google AI’s weekly releases add Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS and Flash-Lite TTS, Gemini 3.8 Live with Live Avatar, and Gemini_Notebook tools for all users, including mobile Live Chat in about 100 languages. Project Suncatcher is set to launch a prototype satellite to test Google TPUs in orbit.

Chrome adds practice quizzes and media Q&As with Gemini

Chrome’s new learning features include practice quizzes and media Q&As with Gemini in Chrome, along with picking up where you left off across devices.

Cline offers Gemini 3.8 Flash for free

Gemini 3.8 Flash is free in Cline. Cline says it scores 41 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, runs at 291 tokens per second, and has a 1 million-token context window.

Google Vids adds Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash, free for Google accounts

News from Google says Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash and a new suite of creative controls are now in Google Vids. Anyone with a Google account can create videos there for free, without professional editing skills.

Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS ranks first on Artificial Analysis pronunciation benchmark at 89.5%

On Artificial Analysis’s Pronunciation Robustness benchmark, Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS scores 89.5%, ahead of Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS, SpaceXAI TTS, and Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS. Leadership on individual pronunciation categories is split among several models.

Gemini can now connect with 13 new apps

The new connections include adobe, squarespace, and onepeloton. Google Gemini says people can grow a business, design assets, and plan workouts in Gemini instead of switching between tabs.

Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS ranks first on the Artificial Analysis Pronunciation Robustness Benchmark

Artificial Analysis says Google has released Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS and Gemini 3.8 Flash-Lite TTS, Google DeepMind text-to-speech models with preset voices and voice replication. On its tests, Gemini 3.8 Flash TTS scores 89.5% in pronunciation robustness and an Elo of 1,263 on the Provider Voice Arena.