SAN FRANCISCO – Google is set to boost its AI offering with a major update to the Gemini platform, launching two new features: Deep Think and Agent Mode. Announced as part of the Gemini 2.5 series, these additions signal Google’s drive to set new standards for meaningful AI interactions.
The latest improvements focus on deeper reasoning and increased independence, as Google works to stand out among many AI competitors. With these upgrades, users can expect smarter, more responsive, and task-focused AI support. Here’s what Deep Think and Agent Mode offer and how they might change the way people use AI.
Deep Think: Smarter, More Thoughtful AI Responses
Deep Think takes centre stage in Gemini’s update. This experimental reasoning tool, available in Gemini 2.5 Pro, aims to sharpen the model’s thinking skills. Most AI tools respond quickly by predicting the next word or phrase, but Deep Think slows down to weigh up several possible answers before replying. This leads to better answers, especially for maths, coding, and problems that cross different types of data.
Google reports that Deep Think is already showing strong results, outperforming rivals like OpenAI’s o3 model on key benchmarks. These include the 2025 USAMO maths exam, LiveCodeBench for programming, and the MMMU test for logic and reasoning, where it achieved an 84% score. Demis Hassabis, who leads Google DeepMind, shared in a press briefing that Deep Think uses Google’s latest research in AI thinking, including running several approaches at once.
At present, Deep Think is available only to selected testers through the Gemini API. Google is focusing on safety before releasing it more widely, reflecting the company’s careful approach to developing powerful AI. These new reasoning abilities could impact fields such as education and software engineering. Developers can use Deep Think to build complex apps or solve hard coding problems, while researchers can use it to review large datasets more accurately.
A standout feature is the “thought summaries” tool, which organises the AI’s thinking into a clear, step-by-step record. This helps developers check the AI’s answers, spot mistakes, and match outcomes with business needs. Gemini 2.5 Pro is already used by companies like Box, which have used it to pull insights from messy, unstructured data with over 90% accuracy in difficult extraction tasks.
Agent Mode: Making Gemini Act on Your Behalf
Alongside Deep Think, Google is rolling out Agent Mode, another experimental feature designed to make Gemini an active assistant. Built with Project Mariner, Agent Mode lets Gemini carry out multi-step jobs without much direction. From booking trips and shopping to making appointments, users share their goals and Gemini completes the process, using real-time web searches, Google apps, and third-party tools as needed.
Agent Mode features a split-screen: one side with the chat, the other acting like a browser so users can watch Gemini at work. This design suits those who want more control and direct feedback. It works well with Google’s services like Calendar, Maps, and Drive. For example, Gemini can set up a night out by creating a Calendar event, finding restaurant details on Maps, and writing invitations, all in one go.
Initially, Agent Mode is planned for desktop access and will be open to Gemini Ultra subscribers, which costs $249 per month but starts at half price for the first three months. Its ability to save time and manage tasks could appeal to many. Google’s move towards AI that can act independently marks a shift from simple chatbots towards real digital assistants. This fits Google’s wider goal of developing AI that behaves less like a software tool and more like a helpful partner.
What These Changes Mean for AI and Its Users
The arrival of Deep Think and Agent Mode comes as Google faces tough competition from the likes of OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, who also push for smarter and more independent AI. Google says Deep Think beats OpenAI’s o3 model at solving hard problems. Merging Deep Think with its more efficient Flash model lets Google offer stronger performance while controlling costs, aiming to bring advanced AI features to a wider group of users.
There are still hurdles. Deep Think can be slower, processing ten prompts in about five minutes, which might put off users who expect instant replies. Even with a strong focus on clarity and safety, these powerful systems open questions about bias or errors in areas like medical or financial research.
The new Deep Think and Agent Mode features in Gemini 2.5 mark a bold advance towards smarter, independent AI. With a focus on reasoning and task completion, Google hopes to make Gemini valuable both for developers and for everyday users. By linking these tools with Google products like Search and Workspace, Gemini looks ready to play a bigger role for people and businesses alike.
As Google tests Deep Think with more users and brings Agent Mode to desktops, many will be watching to see the real-world impact. It remains to be seen if these tools will change the way people work with AI, but Google’s direction suggests it wants to lead the next phase of AI development.
For more on Gemini subscriptions, go to gemini.google.com. Developers interested in the Gemini API can visit ai.google.dev.
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