Google set to release Gemini 3.8 Flash coding AI model

Google Alphabet Inc. ↘ 1.11% is poised to release a new AI model with upgraded coding capabilities as early as Wednesday, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal News Corp ↘ 2.36%. The model, Gemini 3.8 Flash, known internally as "Skimaki," represents Google DeepMind's most direct answer yet to the agentic coding tools from OpenAI and Anthropic that have defined the AI landscape in 2026.qz+1

In head-to-head testing using Google's internal coding tool called "Jetski," company engineers have preferred Skimaki over Anthropic's Claude Opus model, the Journal reported, citing employees familiar with the matter.wsj+1

A Flash Model, Not a Frontier Giant

Skimaki is not designed to be the largest or most powerful model in Google's lineup. Flash models are built to run faster and more cheaply — attributes that have grown increasingly valuable as the industry shifts toward efficient token aggregation across multiple models. The model will not undergo the kind of extensive government vetting process that has preceded releases of massive frontier models like OpenAI's still-unreleased Astra.gizmodo

The Journal reported that Google has "particularly increased its use of reinforcement learning" in developing recent models, including Skimaki. The 3.7 Flash and 3.8 Flash models were in the works for months, with development beginning well before last month's leadership changes, according to the Journal's sources.timesnownews+1

Leadership Shake-Up Sets the Stage

The release comes less than a month after Demis Hassabis, the Nobel Prize-winning co-founder of DeepMind, stepped aside as CEO in early August. Hassabis moved into a chairman role at DeepMind and became chief scientist at parent company Alphabet, a transition that had reportedly been anticipated for about a year.reddit+2

Meanwhile, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has taken an increasingly hands-on role in the company's AI efforts. Reuters reported in August that Brin had been urging key AI staff to "go all in" on Gemini as Google seeks to close the gap with rivals. Brin earlier this year told staff that AI agents would be the central pillar of Google's 2026 strategy.aitoolly+1

The Coding Gap

Google has consistently trailed OpenAI and Anthropic in coding-specific AI capabilities, a gap that became more apparent after OpenAI pivoted aggressively to agentic coding in March. Whether Skimaki can match its internal test results when released publicly remains the open question — one that developers will likely begin answering within hours.shattered+2