Google's delayed gemini 3.5 pro sparks concerns amid AI competition

Google's highly anticipated Gemini 3.5 Pro, announced at the May Google I/O event, has yet to launch as of September 10, 2026. CEO Sundar Pichai initially promised a June release, but the model remains in testing, with no official timeline. Meanwhile, competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic have launched advanced models, including GPT-6 Astra and Fable 5.1, which have made breakthroughs in coding and mathematics. Chinese lab Moonshot also released Kimi K3, a 2.8 trillion parameter model. Google has rolled out lighter versions like Gemini 3.6 Flash and an app for Windows. The delay has raised concerns among engineers and managers, with Bloomberg reporting internal frustration over losing market edge. Google's leadership, including Demis Hassabis, has undergone a significant shakeup, with Hassabis moving to a new role and Jeff Dean leaving for a new venture. Despite the setbacks, Pichai remains optimistic about Gemini 4, stating the company is working on a monthly release cadence. However, the longer the delay, the higher the performance bar Google must clear to stay competitive. Google remains confident in its data access and user base, but its position on AI leaderboards has dropped, placing it 14th overall and 25th in coding benchmarks.