12 November 2026 — “Google Gemini” is now one of the most searched terms in tech, and this week it got bigger: Google opened its strongest model, Gemini 4 Carbon, to the public. Here is what Gemini actually is, what Carbon adds, and how to start using it.
What Google Gemini is
Gemini is the name of Google’s family of AI models — and of the assistant app built on them. You type, speak or upload files, and Gemini answers questions, writes and summarises text, researches topics, generates images and helps with code. It is multimodal, meaning it can work across text, images, audio and video in the same conversation.
Anyone with a Google account can use it free at gemini.google.com or in the Gemini apps for Android and iPhone. Paid plans, sold as Google AI plans, raise the usage limits and unlock the strongest models.
The models, including Gemini 4 Carbon
- Everyday models: The free and cheaper plans run on Google’s fast Flash-class models, built for quick questions, drafting and summaries.
- Gemini 4 Carbon: Google’s top-tier model, opened to the public on 11 November after an October release limited to cybersecurity personnel and partners. It is designed for complex, long-running work — coding, cybersecurity and scientific research that runs for hours rather than minutes.
- Gemini Robotics 2.5: Launched alongside Carbon, a vision-language-action model from Google DeepMind for robots, rolling out to robotics partners.
Where you can use it
- Gemini app and web: Chat at gemini.google.com or in the mobile apps. Gemini 4 Carbon appears in the app for Google AI Ultra subscribers.
- AI Mode in Search: Ultra subscribers also get Carbon inside Google Search’s AI Mode.
- Gemini API: Developers can build with Carbon through AI Studio and Android Studio, paying per token rather than by subscription.
- Work tools: Carbon is also in Google Antigravity for Ultra subscribers, and in Gemini for business and CodeMender.
What it costs
US plan prices, as listed by Google and checked in November 2026:
- Free: $0 — the Gemini app with standard limits.
- Google AI Plus: $4.99 a month — higher limits and more storage.
- Google AI Pro: $19.99 a month — higher limits again, aimed at regular power users.
- Google AI Ultra: $99.99 or $199.99 a month — the highest limits and first access to the newest models, including Gemini 4 Carbon in the app.
- Developers (API): Gemini 4 Carbon costs $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens until 30 November, rising to $4 and $20 from December.
How to start
Sign in at gemini.google.com with a Google account and ask your first question — no installation is needed. If you want Carbon’s full power in the app, you will need the Ultra plan; if you are a developer, the API in AI Studio is the cheaper way in for occasional use.
Related on fetlife.news: Google Opens Gemini 4 Carbon to the Public, Unveils Gemini Robotics 2.5 — Tech; Anthropic Launches Claude Fable 5.2 and Mythos 5.2: 30% Faster AI Models — Tech
External references: Kingy AI, Nov 2026; Magai, Nov 2026; ChosunBiz, 11 Nov 2026.