Google releases Gemini 4 Argon to developers at $2 per million input tokens

Google has released Gemini 4 Argon, its new flagship AI model, to developers and businesses. A post on Google's official blog dated Tuesday, 13 October, says developers can start building with it on the paid tier of the Gemini API, and that Google AI Ultra subscribers can try it in Google AI Studio and Google Antigravity, the company's agent-first coding platform.

Who gets Gemini 4 Argon, and where

• Developers: paid tier of the Gemini API only, per Google's blog post.
• AI Studio and Antigravity: Google AI Ultra subscribers.
• Gemini app and AI Mode in Search: Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, Reuters reported. Antigravity remains limited to Ultra.
• Free users: neither Google nor Reuters mentions free access.

Google describes Argon as a model for long, multi-step "deep work": large code migrations, enterprise knowledge work, cyber-security defence and research. Neither Google's post nor the Reuters report lists which countries can use it, and neither mentions Pakistan.

The price, and what it is in rupees

Reuters reported launch API pricing of $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens, rising to double those rates after 30 November. At the dollar rate of Rs 276.96 recorded on our USD to PKR page on 13 October, that is about Rs 554 per million input tokens and Rs 2,770 per million output tokens, before card charges. A Pakistani developer paying in dollars by card should also budget for the bank's foreign-transaction fee; the currency converter does the arithmetic for other amounts.

Why it took this long

Argon was first announced on 30 September, when Google gave it only to selected cyber-security partners and set no public release date. Reuters described Tuesday's launch as Google's attempt to regain ground on OpenAI and Anthropic after months of delays. In September Google dropped plans for Gemini 3.5 Pro, which chief executive Sundar Pichai had said would arrive in June, and DeepMind was reorganised after co-founder Demis Hassabis stepped aside.

What Google says it can do

According to Reuters, Google says teams using Argon in Antigravity raised agent-written code submissions by more than 35% and cut code rollbacks by nearly a third. Early testers named by Google include Deloitte, LexisNexis, Ambience Healthcare and Isomorphic Labs. These are the company's own figures and have not been independently checked.

Google is also widening its Fairwind programme, which gives vetted cyber defenders a version of Argon without its usual cyber-security guardrails, to hundreds more partners, and will give 10,000 scientists six months of free access to Antigravity's highest usage tier, Reuters said.

What to do if you want to try it

Check whether your Google account and billing country can reach the paid Gemini API before committing to a project, since availability by country is not spelled out in the announcement. If you already pay for Google AI Pro or Ultra, look for Argon in the model picker of the Gemini app.