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    Gemini 3.8 Flash rolling out in Google Search

    This too is first rolling out AI Mode for Google AI Pro & Ultra subscribers in English, like we saw with 3.7.

    Google Search has upgraded AI Mode to use its latest Gemini model, Gemini 3.8 Flash. This comes just a couple weeks after Google AI Mode was powered by Gemini 3.7 Flash.

    Like with the 3.7 release, 3.8 Flash can be used in AI Mode searchers for Google AI Pro & Ultra subscribers.

    What Google said. Robby Stein, Google’s VP of product, said on X:

    • “Gemini 3.8 Flash has landed in Search 🔥”

    He shared how much more powerful Gemini 3.8 Flash is:

    • “It’s our most intelligent workhorse model yet, delivering significant improvements from 3.7 Flash across software engineering, agentic tasks, and multi-step reasoning.”

    Who can use it:

    • “Available today in AI Mode for Google AI Pro & Ultra subs around the world.

    How to access it:

    • “Tap the (+) icon to select it in the model dropdown menu”

    What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of Gemini 3.8 Flash as a model to select from within AI Mode in Search:

    Gemini Flash 3.8 Ai Mode Scaled

    Why we care. Google will likely roll this mode out to all searchers, even free plans, in the coming weeks or months. The models continue to improve and get better, which should make Google Search and AI Mode better over time.


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    About the Author

    Barry Schwartz
    Barry Schwartz is a technologist and a Contributing Editor to Search Engine Land and a member of the programming team for SMX events. He owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics.

    In 2019, Barry was awarded the Outstanding Community Services Award from Search Engine Land, in 2018 he was awarded the US Search Awards the "US Search Personality Of The Year," you can learn more over here and in 2023 he was listed as a top 50 most influential PPCer by Marketing O'Clock.

    Barry can be followed on X here and you can learn more about Barry Schwartz over here or on his personal site.