Google Launches Deep Think AI for Ultra Subscribers

Google Launches Deep Think AI for Ultra Subscribers
Above: Google and Gemini logos. Image credit: Cheng Xin/Getty Images

The Facts

  • Google launched Deep Think, a new AI reasoning feature in the Gemini app for Google AI Ultra subscribers, on Friday. The premium subscription tier costs $249.99 per month after a promotional rate of $124.99 for the first three months.
  • The model employs parallel thinking techniques to explore multiple ideas simultaneously and incorporates reinforcement learning to enhance step-by-step problem-solving, necessitating extended inference time before responding.
  • Deep Think achieved 87.6% on the LiveCodeBench V6 coding benchmark and 34.8% on Humanity's Last Exam, outperforming competitors like OpenAI's o3 at 20.3% and xAI's Grok 4 at 25.4% on the latter test.

Sources Split


The Spin


Techno-optimist narrative

Deep Think represents a breakthrough in AI reasoning capabilities, delivering gold-medal mathematical performance to everyday users. The model's parallel thinking approach and extended reasoning time yield significantly better results than competitors, with benchmark scores nearly doubling those of rivals in complex reasoning tasks. This technology democratizes access to Olympic-level problem-solving abilities for research and development.

Techno-skeptic narrative

The $250 monthly price tag makes Deep Think accessible only to wealthy users, creating an AI divide between premium and standard subscribers. Google's safety review reveals concerning risks associated with weapons development, while the public version is merely a "bronze" variant of the truly capable model reserved for select researchers. The high refusal rate and slower response times limit the practical utility of this model compared to existing models.


Metaculus Prediction


The Controversies



Go Deeper

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 7.18.2

© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.

All rights reserved.

Version 7.18.2