Google Deprecates Imagen 4 and Veo 2, Launches Native Image Models
Google releases its generally available Gemini 3.1 Flash and 3 Pro native image models while simultaneously deprecating older Imagen 4 and Veo video generation endpoints. Developers must migrate to newer model IDs to avoid upcoming service shutdowns.
Google announces the general availability of its native visual models, Gemini 3.1 Flash Image and Gemini 3 Pro Image, which replace previous preview versions. The new Gemini 3.1 Flash Image model introduces a video-to-image generation feature, allowing developers to pass video files or YouTube URLs as context to create thumbnails, posters, and infographics.
Several older generation models face imminent deprecation as Google cleans up its API offerings. Imagen 4 image models and Veo 2 and 3.0 video generation models are officially deprecated, with shutdown dates set for June and August 2026. Additionally, all Gemini 2.0 Flash models are now completely shut down, forcing developers to upgrade to Gemini 3.5 Flash or 3.1 Flash Lite.
Beyond image and video updates, Google adds streaming support for the Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS preview model through the streamGenerateContent method. The changelog also highlights the preview launch of Gemini Deep Research, which brings collaborative planning, visualization, and Model Context Protocol (MCP) support to the developer ecosystem.