Google has rapidly increased the pace of its AI model releases, notably launching the Gemini 2.5 Pro in March, just three months after introducing Gemini 2.0 Flash. These releases are seen as a response to the fast-evolving AI industry, with the company pushing to stay competitive against major players like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Tulsee Doshi, Google’s director and head of product for Gemini, discussed in a TechCrunch interview that the accelerated release schedule is part of an ongoing effort to keep pace with industry trends and gain quick feedback from users. However, Doshi acknowledged that the company is still working to perfect its process of rolling out models and gathering input, indicating the experimental nature of some releases.
Lack of Safety Reports Raises Concerns
Despite the urgency in pushing models to market, Google has yet to release the safety reports for its latest models, including Gemini 2.5 Pro and Gemini 2.0 Flash. This lack of transparency has raised concerns among experts who argue that the company’s drive for speed might be coming at the expense of its commitment to responsible AI deployment.
Model cards, which are safety reports detailing the performance, risks, and testing of AI models, have become an industry standard. Companies like OpenAI and Meta regularly publish these reports with new model releases to help guide independent safety evaluations. These documents are critical for understanding potential risks associated with the AI systems. Google was a pioneer in advocating for such transparency back in 2019, but has since fallen behind its competitors in this area.
Experimental Phase and Delayed Transparency
When questioned about the lack of a model card for Gemini 2.5 Pro, Doshi explained that the model was still in an “experimental” phase. She confirmed that the company had already conducted safety testing and adversarial red teaming, and that the full model card would be released once the model is made generally available. This explanation, however, has not quelled concerns that the company is rushing to deploy AI technologies without providing the necessary safety and performance details.
Google’s spokesperson reassured TechCrunch that the company remains committed to AI safety and plans to release additional documentation for its models, including Gemini 2.0 Flash, but this commitment has not been fully realized with the current pace of model releases. The last model card from Google was published for Gemini 1.5 Pro over a year ago.
What The Author Thinks
It’s essential that tech companies like Google maintain transparency in their AI releases, especially as the capabilities of these models grow more sophisticated. Transparency around safety testing and model performance should be prioritized, even if it means slowing down the pace of releases. As AI technology increasingly influences industries and society, it’s critical to ensure these systems are not only powerful but safe for widespread use.
