According to CNET, Google just launched Gemini 3, calling it their most intelligent AI model to date with advanced multimodal capabilities available immediately. The company claims it’s better at understanding user intent and less sycophantic, while also being more secure against prompt injection attacks. Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis and Koray Kavukcuoglu highlighted these improvements in a Tuesday blog post. The new agentic capabilities allowing multi-step workflows will initially be exclusive to $250/month Google AI Ultra subscribers. This comes as Google maintains a $3.4 trillion valuation amid what CEO Sundar Pichai calls “elements of irrationality” in the AI investment boom. The release positions Google against competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic in the intensifying AI wars.
The Understanding vs Performing Gap
Here’s the thing about AI “understanding” – we’ve heard this before. Every model release promises better comprehension, less hallucination, more natural conversation. But what does “grasp depth and nuance” actually mean when the proof is in the pudding? Google‘s examples – turning lectures into flashcards, analyzing pickleball matches – sound impressive until you realize these are carefully curated demos. I’ve seen enough AI launches to know the gap between staged demonstrations and real-world performance can be massive.
The $250 Question
Now let’s talk about that $250 monthly price tag for the agentic features. That’s not just expensive – it’s exclusionary. Google’s basically saying the truly useful AI, the kind that can actually plan your travel or handle complex workflows, is a luxury product. This creates a two-tier AI future where businesses and wealthy individuals get the good stuff while everyone else gets a slightly improved chatbot. And given Google’s track record with premium services, I’m skeptical about how well these agentic features will actually work outside controlled environments.
Dancing on the AI Bubble
This release timing isn’t accidental. With AI companies accounting for 30% of the S&P 500 and Pichai himself warning about irrationality, Google needs to justify its position. When the CEO admits to the BBC that there’s “elements of irrationality” in AI investing, you know things are getting real. Every new model release isn’t just about technology – it’s about maintaining stock momentum and investor confidence. The pressure to outperform competitors is immense, which might explain why they’re pushing these premium tiers so aggressively.
Security Promises vs Reality
They mention better security against prompt injection attacks, but let’s be real – every AI company says this with every release. The cat-and-mouse game between AI developers and people trying to break their safeguards is endless. And “less sycophantic” sounds great until you realize we’re celebrating AI for not being overly agreeable – that’s how low the bar has been set. The real test will be how Gemini 3 handles edge cases, controversial topics, and actual malicious attempts to manipulate it. History suggests there will be surprises, and not the good kind.
Where This Is Actually Headed
So what’s the big picture? Google’s trying to solve AI’s most annoying problems while convincing everyone (and the market) that they’re leading the pack. The move toward agentic AI – systems that can actually do things for you – is the next frontier, but it’s also where things get dangerous. When AI starts making reservations, planning trips, or executing multi-step tasks, the potential for errors, security breaches, and unintended consequences skyrockets. Basically, we’re entering the “be careful what you wish for” phase of AI development, and Gemini 3 feels like Google’s first real step into that uncertain territory.
