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# Gemini 3.1 Pro First Look: Google Doubles the Reasoning Score That Matters
- URL: https://www.theaidirectory.com.au/review-gemini-3-1-pro-first-look-australia-2026/
- Published: 2026-02-18T23:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-09T06:30:21.000Z
- Description: Google's new flagship doubles the hardest reasoning benchmark going and lands everywhere at once — the app, the API, and NotebookLM.
- Author: Adam
- Tags: AI Assistants & Chatbots, AI Reviews, First Look, #review

**20**/25

★★★★☆

Very Good

Gemini 3.1 Pro · Google

Verified 20 Sep 2026 Reviewed 19 Feb 2026 

Value for Money**4**/5

Ease of Use**4**/5

Feature Depth**4**/5

Australian Fit**4**/5

Reliability & Support**4**/5

**The gate:** Five stars need 21+ and Australian Fit of at least 4/5.

[Skip to the verdict ](#verdict) 

> **ℹ Editor's note, 23 September 2026:** Google renamed **NotebookLM** to **Gemini Notebook** in July 2026\. This is a dated record and keeps the name that was correct when it was written; the [review](https://www.theaidirectory.com.au/review-notebooklm-australia-2026/) carries the current name.

**Launched:** 19 February 2026 · **Reviewed:** 19 February 2026 · **Score: 20/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Good**

> **Verdict in one line:** A serious jump in reasoning that most Australians will get without paying a cent more — the quiet advantage of Google shipping models into products you already use.  
>  
> **📌 Correction — 20 September 2026.** An earlier version of this note said Google's current flagship was **Gemini 3.5**. That was wrong. Google's model page still lists **Gemini 3.1 Pro** as its Pro-tier model, with **3.5 Pro "coming soon"**. The models shipped since are **Gemini 3.8 Flash**, **Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite** and **Gemini 3.1 Deep Think**. This first look is therefore still current on the Pro tier. For our fully-scored assessment of Gemini, read the [**full Google Gemini review**](https://www.theaidirectory.com.au/google-gemini-review-australia/).  
>  
> ⚠️ **STALENESS FLAG — 5 September 2026.** This first look was published 19 February 2026 and is **198 days old**. It has not been re-verified against the vendor since. AI products move fast: pricing, model versions, plan names and Australian availability may all have changed. Read the verdict below as a snapshot of February 2026, not as a current recommendation. (House rule: any review over six months old carries this flag until it is updated.)

## What launched

On 19 February 2026 Google released **Gemini 3.1 Pro**, the new top model in the Gemini line. The headline claim: **double the ARC-AGI-2 score of Gemini 3 Pro** — the benchmark built specifically to resist memorisation and test genuine reasoning. It's rolling out to the **Gemini API, Vertex AI, the Gemini app, and NotebookLM**, with **higher usage limits for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers**.

## What it does

ARC-AGI-2 is the number to watch because it can't be crammed for. Doubling it means the model is materially better at the kind of problem it hasn't seen before — which, in practice, is most of your problems. The other story is distribution. OpenAI and Anthropic launch models into chat windows; Google launches them into Gmail, Docs, NotebookLM, and search. A model upgrade here lands inside tools Australians already open every morning, with nothing to install and nothing new to learn.

## Pricing for Australians

The model itself costs nothing extra — it slots into the existing Gemini app and Google's AU plans, which **bill natively in AUD**: AI Plus at A$7.99 a month, AI Pro at A$32.99, and AI Ultra from A$149.99\. That is still the cleanest billing story of any major AI vendor here. The higher limits sit on the paid Pro and Ultra tiers; casual users will meet 3.1 Pro without touching their wallet.

## Australian Fit

Available in Australia at launch through the app, AUD-billed plans, no waitlist games. Data processing remains offshore, as with every frontier model — keep that in mind for client-confidential work. 4/5.

## Early read

**Good:** the reasoning jump is the real thing benchmarks exist to measure; day-one availability in Australia; lands inside products people already use; NotebookLM inclusion is quietly significant for research-heavy work. **Not so good:** "rolling out" means some surfaces get it before others and Google doesn't say which first; the best limits need a paid tier; and Google's model-naming churn makes it genuinely hard for a normal person to know which Gemini they're talking to.

## Early verdict

If you're already in the Google ecosystem, you just got a smarter brain in everything for free — no action required. If you're choosing between assistants on reasoning-heavy work, 3.1 Pro puts Gemini firmly back in the conversation. Watch for our full review once the rollout settles.

| Criterion             | Score                    |
| --------------------- | ------------------------ |
| Value for Money       | 4/5                      |
| Ease of Use           | 4/5                      |
| Feature Depth         | 4/5                      |
| Australian Fit        | 4/5                      |
| Reliability & Support | 4/5                      |
| **Total**             | **20/25 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Good** |

*First-look score — provisional until our full hands-on review.*

Update history 
- **20 Sep 2026** — Staleness check. Re-verified the model line-up and Australian plan pricing against the vendor. **Gemini 3.1 Pro is still Google's Pro-tier model** and **3.5 Pro is listed as "coming soon"**. Our 9 July note calling Gemini 3.5 the current flagship was wrong, and has been corrected. The models shipped since are **Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and Gemini 3.1 Deep Think**. Australian plan prices re-confirmed unchanged and native AUD. **AI Plus A$7.99/mo · AI Pro A$32.99/mo · AI Ultra from A$149.99/mo**, or A$329.99 at 20× AI Pro limits. Higher usage limits still sit on the paid Pro and Ultra tiers. Score unchanged at 20/25\. [Models](https://deepmind.google/models/gemini/?ref=theaidirectory.com.au) · [AU pricing](https://gemini.google/au/subscriptions/?hl=en-AU&ref=theaidirectory.com.au) · Wayback: capture pending (archive.org unavailable 20 Sep 2026)
- **5 Sep 2026** — Staleness flag added at 198 days (house voice rule 8). No claims re-verified this pass; no score change.
- **9 Jul 2026** — Superseded-model note added, saying Gemini 3.1 Pro had been succeeded by **Gemini 3.5**. Corrected on 20 September 2026: 3.5 Pro had not shipped. Original first look preserved unchanged as a historical record.
- **19 Feb 2026** — First reviewed.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Gemini 3.1 Pro and what's new in it?

Gemini 3.1 Pro is Google's new top model in the Gemini line, released 19 February 2026\. The headline claim: double the ARC-AGI-2 score of Gemini 3 Pro — the benchmark built specifically to resist memorisation and test genuine reasoning. It's rolling out to the Gemini API, Vertex AI, the Gemini app, and NotebookLM.

### Is Gemini 3.1 Pro available in Australia?

Yes. It's available in Australia at launch through the Gemini app, on AUD-billed plans, with no waitlist games. One caveat: the rollout is staggered — some surfaces get it before others, and Google doesn't say which come first. Data processing remains offshore, so keep that in mind for client-confidential work.

### Does Gemini 3.1 Pro cost extra for Australians?

No. The model slots into the existing Gemini app and Google's AU plans, which bill natively in AUD — AI Plus at A$7.99 a month, AI Pro at A$32.99, AI Ultra from A$149.99\. That's the cleanest billing story of any major AI vendor here. Higher usage limits sit on the paid Google AI Pro and Ultra tiers; casual users will meet 3.1 Pro without touching their wallet.

### How does Gemini 3.1 Pro compare with OpenAI and Anthropic's models?

Distribution is the difference. OpenAI and Anthropic launch models into chat windows; Google launches them into Gmail, Docs, NotebookLM, and search — tools Australians already open every morning, with nothing to install and nothing new to learn. On reasoning-heavy work, the ARC-AGI-2 jump puts Gemini firmly back in the conversation.

### When is the full review of Gemini 3.1 Pro coming?

Once the rollout settles. Our first-look score is 20/25 — Very Good — and it stays provisional until the full hands-on review. Early knocks to watch: the staggered rollout, the best limits sitting on a paid tier, and Google's model-naming churn making it hard to know which Gemini you're talking to.

## Sources

- Google — Gemini 3.1 Pro announcement: https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/models-and-research/gemini-models/gemini-3-1-pro/ (primary) \[Wayback snapshot TBC\]
- Google DeepMind — Gemini 3.1 Pro model card: https://deepmind.google/models/model-cards/gemini-3-1-pro/ (primary) \[Wayback snapshot TBC\]