Google's free Gemini now picks the AI model for you
Google's free Gemini now picks the AI model for you
摘要: Gagadget
Google News
Google's free Gemini now picks the AI model for you
Google's free Gemini now picks the AI model for you
Anton Krat
正文
Gagadget
Google News
Google's free Gemini now picks the AI model for you
Google's free Gemini now picks the AI model for you
Anton Kratiuk
| today, 13:58
Gemini's new Auto option replaces the manual model switch for free users.. Source: Photo: Google
If you use Gemini for free, you no longer choose which AI model answers your questions. Google began rolling out the change on October 9,
according to 9to5Google
. The model picker is replaced by a single "Auto" option built on the Gemini 3 family. Most everyday prompts will go to the smallest, fastest model, Flash-Lite. Harder ones may get something stronger, but Google decides which.
How Auto works
Auto judges how complex your request is. Simple tasks go to Flash-Lite. Prompts that need more thought can be passed up to Flash or Pro, the larger models.
There is an opt-out. Turn off the smart selection in settings and every request goes to Flash-Lite only. That means the choice is now between "Google picks" and "always the cheapest model", not a free pick of any model.
Gemini's new Auto option replaces the manual model switch for free users.
The shift follows the plan Google outlined earlier, which gagadget covered when
Google Gemini's free tier drops to Flash-Lite on October 9
was first announced.
Three reasoning levels
Google is also replacing the old "Extended" thinking option with three levels, similar to the settings in its developer tool, Google AI Studio:
-
a quick, cheap answer. -
a balance of speed and detail. -
the deepest, most detailed analysis.
The new scale is already available to paying Google AI subscribers. It is rolling out gradually to everyone in the Gemini app on phones and desktop.
What it costs
Manual control now sits behind a paywall. Pricing in the US, per
, is $4.99 a month for Google AI Plus and $19.99 for AI Pro. The Pro tier is where Deep Think, Google's slower, more thorough reasoning mode, now lives. Google hasn't confirme