Google DeepMind Launches Gemini 4 Hydrogen for Enhanced Speed and Efficiency

What changed

Google DeepMind announced the release of Gemini 4 Hydrogen, a new model designed for speed and efficiency in everyday coding and agentic workflows. It is positioned as a complement to the existing Gemini 4 Carbon and Gemini 4 Argon models, which are optimized for complex, long-horizon reasoning tasks. Hydrogen is available across Google AI Studio, the Gemini API, Gemini for business, the Gemini app, Google Search, and paid Google AI Pro and Ultra tiers in Google Antigravity.

What this means in practice

Gemini 4 Hydrogen is priced flat at $1.50 per million input tokens and $7.50 per million output tokens across its 1 million-token context window. It outperforms Gemini 4 Argon on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index at its default high thinking level (51 vs. 50) and can reach 54 at its highest xhigh thinking setting. The model is intended for tasks requiring rapid execution, such as writing code, running tests, and verifying changes, and can be used alongside Carbon and Argon in multi-model workflows.

Google is also introducing Orchestrator in Google Antigravity, which dynamically switches between models like Carbon and Hydrogen within the same session. On Terminal-Bench 4.0, Orchestrator achieved near-Carbon task success rates while consuming 24% less quota and completing tasks 19% faster.

For workflows requiring parallel agents, Carbon can act as the coordinator while Hydrogen powers worker and verifier agents to build and test changes simultaneously across isolated workspaces.

Limitations and availability

Gemini 4 Hydrogen is available for all tiers of Google AI Studio, the Gemini API, Gemini for business, the Gemini app, Google Search, and paid Google AI Pro and Ultra tiers in Google Antigravity. It is priced flat across its entire 1 million-token context window. The model is intended for everyday work and can be used as a standalone model or in multi-model workflows with Carbon and Argon. The supplied announcement does not specify exact hardware requirements or licensing conditions for the model.

Sources and further reading

1. deepmind: Introducing Gemini 4 Hydrogen