For Gemini, You Can Choose New “levels of Thinking”.
When discussing AI, we often resort to quotations. Of course, there’s “intelligence,” but also ” thinking ,” which these days usually refers to a specific type of model that breaks down queries into multiple steps and takes longer to process (or “think through”). Thinking models are nothing new, but if you use Gemini, you have new “levels” of thinking to choose from when working with non-thinking models. Here’s how it works.
As spotted by 9to5Google , a new “Thinking Level” option has appeared at the bottom of the model selection menu in the Google Gemini app for iOS and Android . To clarify, this isn’t the “Thinking” model listed under “Gemini 3,” as that model has been available for some time. Instead, “Thinking Level” appears when using Fast (which uses Gemini 3 Flash) or Gemini 3.1 Pro, when not using Thinking. When “Thinking Level” appears, you’ll see two options: “Standard” and “Advanced.” Google claims that “Standard” is best for most tasks, while “Advanced” offers more time for “complex topics.”
It appears Google is giving users more flexibility in how they process data when using no-thinking models in Gemini. For example, if you use the “Fast” option, you may not get the answer you want (or the quality of the answer you need), as the model is designed to produce results as quickly as possible. Therefore, it might be worth going to the “Thinking” level menu and switching to “Advanced”: this may take a little longer than usual, but you can improve your chances of getting the answer you expect—all without having to use the “Thinking” model itself , which can take too long.
According to 9to5Google, this feature is apparently not exclusive to Google AI Plus subscribers. The publication’s screenshots demonstrating the feature still show the option to upgrade to a paid plan, so free users should see the “Thinking Level” feature become available. (At the time of writing, I haven’t seen it yet.)
These changes come on the eve of Google I/O , where Google will undoubtedly announce a host of new Gemini features and updates to AI in general. Last week, the company held The Android Show: I/O Edition , which featured several Android announcements ahead of I/O. This marks the second year in a row that Google has chosen to dedicate Android news to a separate section, likely because the company wants to dedicate a significant portion of I/O to AI.