Google confirmed on July 21, 2026, that pre-training has begun on Gemini 4, its “most ambitious pre-training run yet,” with CEO Sundar Pichai adding on the July 23 earnings call that the model requires significantly larger scale than prior versions to advance frontier capabilities, especially coding and agentic workflows. As of late August the model remains in early training with no official release window or benchmarks disclosed. This follows rapid iteration on the Gemini 3.x Flash series—including 3.6 Flash and 3.7 Flash launches in July and August—while the long-delayed 3.5 Pro stays in partner testing. Historical six-month training-to-release cycles and Google’s stated shift toward near-monthly model cadence have shaped trader views that a late-2026 debut remains the most plausible path, though exact timing hinges on post-training, safety, and evaluation milestones still ahead.