Google launches Gemini 4 Argon to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic

11:45

By: Azzat Manal

Google launches Gemini 4 Argon to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic

Google has introduced Gemini 4 Argon, a new flagship artificial intelligence model aimed at developers and businesses worldwide, as the technology giant seeks to strengthen its position against competitors OpenAI and Anthropic. The launch follows months of delays and organisational changes at Google DeepMind, the company’s AI research division.

Google says the model is designed to handle complex, multi-stage tasks across fields including software engineering, finance, law, cybersecurity and scientific research. The company is positioning Argon as a tool for professional workflows that require sustained reasoning and coordinated actions rather than simple, single-prompt responses.

According to Reuters, the model’s application programming interface (API) launches at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens. The company has indicated that these rates will double after November 30, making pricing an important consideration for organisations planning large-scale deployments.

The release comes after a challenging period for Google’s AI strategy. In September, the company reportedly dropped plans to launch Gemini 3.5 Pro, a model previously discussed by chief executive Sundar Pichai as a product expected in June. Leadership changes at DeepMind and the departure of several figures involved in Gemini’s development have also formed part of a broader restructuring effort.

Gemini 4 Argon is being made available through Google’s tools for building AI applications, with access varying by subscription tier. Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers can use the model through the Gemini app and AI Mode in Search, while access to the Antigravity coding platform is reserved for Ultra subscribers.

Google says teams using Argon through Antigravity have increased code submissions produced by AI agents by more than 35%, while reducing code rollbacks by roughly one-third. These figures reflect the company’s reported results and will be important to developers assessing the model’s practical value in production environments.

Early testers reportedly include Deloitte, LexisNexis, Ambience Healthcare and Isomorphic Labs, representing consulting, legal information, healthcare and biotechnology. Their participation signals Google’s effort to attract organisations seeking to integrate advanced AI into specialised professional tasks.

The company has also announced plans to expand its Project Firewall programme to hundreds of additional partners. The initiative gives vetted cybersecurity specialists access to a version of Argon without its standard built-in cyber safeguards, allowing researchers to examine potential vulnerabilities and assess security risks under controlled conditions. Google had previously made the model available to a limited group of cybersecurity partners.

Separately, Google plans to offer 10,000 scientists six months of free access to the highest usage tier of Antigravity. The initiative is intended to encourage scientific research using the company’s AI tools.

With Argon, Google is seeking to turn advances in AI reasoning into broader adoption across business and research environments. Its reception will depend not only on benchmark performance, but also on reliability, cost, security controls and the ability to deliver measurable improvements in everyday professional work.