Google is preparing a new Gemini model called Gemini 3.8 Flash that could improve its standing in coding tasks. The model carries the internal codename Skimaki. Reports say it may arrive as early as September 2, 2026. In Google’s internal coding platform Jetski, some engineers preferred it over Anthropic’s Opus model. Flash models are smaller and cheaper to run than full frontier versions. They focus on speed and lower cost. Google has pushed hard on coding performance this year after falling behind rivals. Earlier plans for Gemini 3.5 Pro were set aside because the gains over the Flash line were not large enough. Gemini 4 is still in post-training. The company has also brought in new research leadership focused on reinforcement learning. Other firms including xAI and Meta are releasing their own coding-focused tools at the same time.
Google is preparing a new Gemini model called Gemini 3.8 Flash that could improve its standing in coding tasks. The model carries the internal codename Skimaki. Reports say it may arrive as early as September 2, 2026. In Google’s internal coding platform Jetski, some engineers preferred it over Anthropic’s Opus model. Flash models are smaller and cheaper to run than full frontier versions. They focus on speed and lower cost. Google has pushed hard on coding performance this year after falling behind rivals. Earlier plans for Gemini 3.5 Pro were set aside because the gains over the Flash line were not large enough. Gemini 4 is still in post-training. The company has also brought in new research leadership focused on reinforcement learning. Other firms including xAI and Meta are releasing their own coding-focused tools at the same time.