HN

Comments (123)

• Menu

  byefruit
  Just checked my Gemini app, still only have 3.1 Pro, 3.6 Flash and 3.6 Thinking on Pro. Looks like it's Ultra only.They've been so slow to update their top models and roll them out that despite subscribing to the Gemini Pro plan, I use it so rarely that this is my last month. That and their product offering was so confusing I basically gave up.
• Menu

  5555watch
  Available through the API.To add, it's actually surprisingly good. I have this unfinished paper draft that I keep feeding to various top AI's to see what it picks up on and what suggests to edit, and while Astra/Fable/Opus/Argon so far has been mediocre, Carbon's answer surprised me with some interesting points all the other AI's missed.It's an anecdote, sample of one, but it got my attention.
• Menu

  dom96
  It is such a massive miss from Google that it took them this long to release this model. I just ran it on my benchmark[1] and it matches Fable 5.2. They could have been first to get there, why didn't they?That being said, it is still slower and more costly than Fable 5.2. So Anthropic wins in my eyes.1 - https://bench.killswitch-lang.org/
• Menu

  guidopallemans
  A nice nod to simonw in one of the highlight videos;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNbkThtNzS8
• altcognito
  The extra training in SVG shows up in some of the web work I've done, in places where I want semi-scientific layouts (short of cad, but in the realm of design). I specifically used Argon due to it, and Carbon looks to be better due to the larger overall model.This, 3d modeling and electrical/robot design are probably the three next frontiers of benchmarking and improvement. Medical and law are driving the boat due to the dollar signs, but engineering is the next most obvious hill climbing areas.
• Menu

  markush_
  I have google AI plus because of drive storage and it’s ridiculous that the best model this gives access to is 3.6 flash, not even the latest flash model. Google either needs to stop this being branded anything “AI” or make better models available if this is what the entrance subscription gives
• Menu

  djoldman
  > Getting started with Gemini 4 Carbon> For developers: Build with the Gemini API paid tier in AI Studio and Android Studio, and if you’re a Google AI Ultra subscriber, you can try it in Google Antigravity and AI Studio.> For enterprises: Try it in Gemini for business via the API or model drop down, Google Antigravity, or CodeMender.> For everyday users: Try Carbon starting today in the Gemini app and AI Mode in Search if you’re a Google AI Ultra subscriber.> For scientists & researchers: Apply for a chance to get access to both Argon and Carbon via Google Antigravity’s highest usage tier free of charge for 6 months (onboarded on a rolling basis), subject to eligibility, capacity, and selection.> For cybersecurity defenders: Apply to join the Fairwind Program to get access to Carbon for cyber on a rolling basis.Looks like the only way to access any Carbon tokens is to pay $99 / month, pay via API, or apply as a scientist.
• Menu

  nothercastle
  Is it 100$ a month for the minimum plan that has access
• anon
  undefined
• Menu

  bscphil
  Looks like it's the same price as Argon on openrouter, which is good to see. Probably was announced already somewhere that I missed.It's interesting that Opencode Go got Argon, I'm hoping they'll get Carbon as well. They claim that Argon is ZDR on their platform. That's surprising to me because openrouter doesn't have ZDR endpoints for Google's models any more, due to a change in policy.
• maxnevermind
  For some reason Gemini models are the laggiest for me, I use it for q/a and topic exploration, both in Gemini app and even API , it often get stuck, usually in the middle of response(app) or at the very beginning before responding. I wish they would better improve on that.
• Menu

  drivebyhooting
  What’s the difference between /boost, /teamwork, and now /swarm?Anecdotally with Argon it would cut corners when attempting to one shot complicated prompts. Adversarial review would find hardcoded hacks and even bugs in physics code./teamwork did help with that but made it take EVEN LONGERI’m hoping Carbon (with /swarm?) is going to help me with my physics and engineering. I don’t like having to cross check with Claude or Sol just to trust the results.
• cyrusmg
  With Plus subscription this is in the list of available models, but says: "Unavailable - Gemini 4 Carbon is currently available to Ultra plan subscribers."
• Menu

  ftchd
  I needed something to switch the account where the usage is taken from, not the configuration.I made something simple & transparent named Switcheroo: https://github.com/FTCHD/switcherooWorks with other AI CLIs like Gemini, and other various CLIs like Vercel (if you're managing multiple accounts like me), Netlify, Github etc
• Menu

  arbirk
  The page crashes my chrome
• Menu

  tuskie
  Is this an intentional naming clash with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_(programming_language)?
• ponyous
  Interesting that on artificial analysis low thinking mode seem to cost more per task than medium.
• Menu

  hlincontacts
  Is gemini ever worth switching to from an anthropic plan? I feel like Anthropic is still pretty comfortably in front.
• Menu

  pyrolistical
  Are the limits low on the $20 plan because Google won’t make money?
• Menu

  boodleboodle
  Just want to say I find Carbon waaay better than Argon. I keep noticing google model sumbissions on hackernews getting targetted by systematically negative comments.
• spider-mario
  > Using Google Antigravity’s /swarm feature, Carbon built an open-world 3D game where you explore Google’s Mountain View campus as a pelican riding a GBikepelicanmaxxing is here.
• hmokiguess
  > Using Google Antigravity’s /swarm feature, Carbon built an open-world 3D game where you explore Google’s Mountain View campus as a pelican riding a GBike — coordinating subagents to model 3D assets in Blender from Omni and Nano Banana references, build the browser game in Three.js with WebGL shaders, and pair procedural Web Audio sound effects with Lyria music.[1]Amazing, can we now close this pelican benchmark and move on to different things?
• Menu

  TomGarden
  Carbon and Argon are such similar names this is the first time I've registered they are different models.Google branding strikes again
• segmondy
  No Google, keep it to yourself that way when you finally release it, you will be 5 models behind.
• neuwirth
  Is anyone really surprised by Google (of all organizations...) definition of "available"?
• Menu

  doctoboggan
  That was faster than the previous announcement -> release cycles, right?What's the recommended coding harness I should be using to test it out? (Recommended by folks here, not by Google...)
• throwitaway222
  Google does not know how to launch a model.
• Menu

  Latitude7973
  It uses more tokens than Argon? I already get very little out of my Pro subscription (using Antigravity) with Argon.
• FacelessJim
  Maybe they had insider knowledge that anthropic was about to release fable 5.2? The timing is a bit too convenient.
• sbochins
  This is the problem. Google was ahead for a brief period where this model was unreleased. Since yesterday that is no longer the case. And what’s worse, it’s much easier to access fable vs carbon with the various plan offerings from the respective providers. I hope Google understands the urgency here and why it’s important to get their models out, if they want the accolades and user traction that comes with being at the frontier. I’d love for a much more competitive ai landscape and I’d love if Google could help make that happen.
• lisenKaci
  This has been available in AI studio via api for a while now.
• chrsw
  I see it in my Cursor Enterprise plan.
• bluecalm
  Google makes it really hard to try their models. Guys, let me try it on pro or whatever sub. If I like it I will pay you more. I am already paying Anthropic 600 bucks a month and will pay more the moment they offer higher tier sub (I have 3x Ultra now) but I downgraded my Google sub because it's just so hard to try anything from them and it takes forever from the announcement to land in the app.
• mvdtnz
  More Cartmanland marketing. It's the best place ever, and you can't come!
• jgbuddy
  Still don't see it!
• Menu

  catigula
  Gemini vis-a-vis Claude and GPT seems to have substantial unsolved hallucination problems. Hope it’s solved or it can’t be used for agentic coding.
• continuational
  [flagged]
• gimlichgu
  Maybe add (2026)?