You need to use a lot of quotation when discussing AI. There's "intelligence," of course, but also "thinking," which these days usually refers to a specific type of model that breaks requests into multiple steps and takes longer to process (or "think through") them. Thinking models are nothing new, but if you use Gemini, you do have new thinking "levels" to choose from when using non-thinking models. Here's how it works.
When you open Gemini, you'll notice a new "Thinking level" option at the bottom of the model selector in Google's Gemini app for iOS and Android. 9to5Google first spotted the feature rolling out just ahead of Google I/O 2026, but the option should now be available to all Gemini users, per Android Authority. "Thinking level" appears when using either 3.1 Flash-Lite, 3.5 Flash, or 3.1 Pro. Free users will see two options here: "Standard" and "Extended." Google says that Standard is best for most problems, while Extended offers more time for "complex topics." Paid users will notice a third option when using 3.1 Pro, too: "Deep Think." This is Google's existing thinking model for Gemini, and is still locked away behind its AI Ultra subscription.
But even with Deep Think access, this is all good news for free users. If you're using the default "Standard" thinking option, for example, you might not get the answer (or the quality of answer) you're looking for, since the model is designed to produce a response as quickly as possible. Therefore, you may want to dive into the Thinking level menu to switch to Extended: It may take a bit longer than usual, but you may boost your chance of getting the response you're expecting—all without having to pay for Deep Think.
What do you think so far?
Google AI subscribers get exclusive Gemini features
Paid Gemini users, of course, continue to receive exclusive features for their money. For example, Gemini Omni, Google's new powerful multimodal video model, now powers a new feature that lets paid users generate videos featuring their own likeness. All you need to do is scan your face and say a few words, and Gemini can drop you in a 10-second video of your choosing. It's impressive (and frightening), and, of course, limited only to Google AI subscribers.
