Free Gemini users can no longer pick a model: the app now chooses for them, and adds effort levels

9to5Google reports that Gemini users without a plan can no longer switch models by hand: their only choice is Auto, using Gemini 3 models. Google says most prompts go to Flash-Lite, its fastest model, and prompts that need deeper reasoning may go to Flash or Pro. With smart model selection off, free chats use Flash-Lite for everything. New effort levels replace the old Extended option and match the thinking levels in Google AI Studio. The site saw the change reach most free accounts on 9 October, and says Google AI Plus users will soon be limited to Flash-Lite and Flash.

• If a free Gemini account handles any customer-facing or money-related work for you, spot-check its answers against a paid plan or a second tool, since you can no longer force the strongest model.
• If the quality has dropped for a job you rely on, test the effort levels on a real prompt before deciding whether a paid plan is worth it.

Source: 9to5Google. This is our short summary of their reporting. The paragraphs marked "Our read" and the things to do are SeedFoundry's opinion. The summary is drafted with AI tools. Image: Google, from its own announcement. How we source and credit