After Gemini 4 Carbon, Google may be launching a Hydrogen model

Google’s Gemini 4 family of AI models follows a trend, all the models seem to be named after elements in the periodic table. After Argon and Carbon, the next element to get its own Gemini model seems to be Hydrogen.As per a report from Business Insider, Google has begun testing a new model, internally known as Hydrogen. It is said that Hydrogen is available to Google engineers via the company’s internal development platform, Jetski. It is possible that the model may soon be released to the public.What could be Google’s Hydrogen model?The report cited that a Google engineer described Hydrogen as "very capable, fast and efficient” in an internal memo. If accurate, this would put Hydrogen in the same category as Google’s Flash models. Gemini Flash models are small, cost-efficient models that are designed for repetitive tasks.The name Hydrogen could be appropriate as it is the lightest element in the periodic table. It is possible that Hydrogen may be part of the Gemini 4 family. Though details about the model’s performance or potential pricing remains unclear for now. Usually, Flash models are available to free Gemini users. This development comes at a time when AI companies are releasing more cost-efficient models, such as Meta's Muse Ember. Many businesses such as Accenture and Apple have reportedly become more cautious of AI spending, often putting a cap on budgets for employees.As mentioned earlier, there are two Gemini 4 models available right now – Argon and Carbon. Both AI models are the most powerful ones from Google, matching frontier models from OpenAI and Anthropic. While Gemini 4 Argon is available to users globally, the more powerful Carbon is restricted to a select group of organisations for now. You can use Argon via the Gemini App and AI Mode in Google Search if you are a Gemini AI Pro or Ultra subscriber. The AI can then do tasks for you, such as ordering groceries and booking tables, similar to how the Meta’s Muse AI works. Google says that the Gemini app already has over 1 billion active users.Before Gemini 4’s release, the company appeared to be struggling in the frontier AI race. The company also cancelled the launch of Gemini 3.5 Pro earlier this year, as the model reportedly failed to match internal coding benchmarks.- Ends