Google is reorganizing the AI models offered in the Gemini app according to subscription plans. The changes affecting personal accounts:
- Free users will lose access to Gemini 3.6 Flash and Gemini 3.1 Pro as of October 9; only Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite will be available.
- AI Plus subscribers will continue to use Flash-Lite and Flash, while Pro access will be removed; the date will be announced by email.
- There will be no restrictions on the AI Pro and AI Ultra plans; Deep Think will be added to AI Pro.
Three thinking levels—low, medium, and high—will be offered for each model; the high level will consume the quota faster. The change follows the cost-based quota system introduced in May. The position of Gemini 4 Argon within this structure, however, remains unclear.
Why it matters
The change signals that the era of free and generous access in generative AI is narrowing; Google is reinforcing the cost-based quota system it launched in May with model access restrictions, passing computing costs onto subscription tiers. The harshest impact falls on free users: after October 9, since they will be left with only Flash-Lite, they may need to either switch to a paid plan or turn to alternative tools for tasks requiring advanced reasoning. AI Plus subscribers who lose Pro access, meanwhile, face the decision of upgrading to a higher plan, as the scope of the plan they pay for has been narrowed. On the other hand, AI Pro being strengthened with Deep Think widens the capability gap between the free and paid tiers. Tying thinking levels to the quota means usage will now be managed like an invisible budget. The uncertainty of the timeline for the AI Plus restriction and the lack of clarification on which tier Gemini 4 Argon will fit into remain two open questions for those weighing a subscription choice.
Background
Google is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 91 stories mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated October 7, 2026.