Wharton professor Ethan Mollick points out that Google's February preview of Gemini 3.1 Pro falls short on advanced reasoning and complex workflows, leaving the company without any public model that matches current frontier leaders even though a lighter Flash option exists.
Interestingly, Google no longer has a public frontier model. They have a very good flash model, but a very good flash model can't do frontier work without a good frontier orchestrator.
I am sure this will change soon, but Gemini 3.1 Pro is very clearly lagging at this point.
Logan Kilpatrick replied by teasing Gemini 3.5 Pro as the next step aimed at restoring competitive standing on tough tasks, though exact timing and capabilities stay tied to internal testing and prior I/O hints of a near-term arrival.
Gemini 3.1 Pro can already be reached via API, Vertex AI, and consumer apps in preview mode, yet its acknowledged lag means developers chasing top-tier agentic or long-context performance must either orchestrate around the Flash model or hold for the upgrade.
Positive users see Gemini 3.5 Pro as promising and closing the gap with competitors while negative users criticize Google's slow progress and the underwhelming 3.1 model.
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@emollick team is cooking on 3.5 pro!
Interestingly, Google no longer has a public frontier model. They have a very good flash model, but a very good flash model can't do frontier work without a good frontier orchestrator.
I am sure this will change soon, but Gemini 3.1 Pro is very clearly lagging at this point.
Its also a shame because Google has some of the most innovative AI apps, like NotebookLM, but they need smarter brains to power them (as well as the harnesses needed for those brains)
A very good flash model may be all you need for mass serving consumers, but it doesn't do much for serious or agentic work.
A very good flash model may be all you need for mass serving consumers, but it doesn't do much for serious or agentic work.
Interestingly, Google no longer has a public frontier model. They have a very good flash model, but a very good flash model can't do frontier work without a good frontier orchestrator.
I am sure this will change soon, but Gemini 3.1 Pro is very clearly lagging at this point.
@emollick They said 3 weeks ago that Gemini 3.5 Pro was coming "in a month or a little bit more"
Update!
@OfficialLoganK @emollick wen
@OfficialLoganK @emollick Can I get to test it before release, please. 🥺
@OfficialLoganK @emollick At this point they need to give you a raise Logan because you have essentially became one of the PR faces for Gemini, I get more info from you than any other google gemini members 😅
@emollick 3.5 flash is unnecessarily verbose and overexcited, not as expected
@OfficialLoganK @emollick Next week and June 30th are still around. Not a huge release window
@OfficialLoganK @emollick atp am not even hoping that it will be great cause you guys have always disappointed at model release😒making me think if gemini is even in competition with claude and openai? you said the same for 2.5,3 3.1 pro but nothing revolutionary😖, not to mention the flaws of gemini app
@bedros_p @OfficialLoganK @emollick hi bedros :3
@OfficialLoganK @emollick Please keep 3.1 Pro on the API
@emollick I'd almost call GLM 5.2 a frontier model
@emollick I am just confused why people expect Google to continue to enter this current rat race with OAI and anthropic. Wouldn’t it be smarter to just watch them fight from the sideline and not waste resources for now like they’ve done in the past? And deliver something big later
@deepanshusharmx Gemini models have always been weird.
@emollick Seems to still be leading in some categories...
@OfficialLoganK @bedros_p @emollick don’t have the choice bro
@OfficialLoganK @emollick I love the boundless positive energy @OfficialLoganK
If only @GeminiApp shared this personality trait with you 🥺
@poffyit They had the ultimate first mover advantage and decided to do nothing instead!