Google Imagen 4 API shutdown date passed on August 17, 2026
Google’s current lifecycle table retains August 17, 2026 as the shutdown date for three Imagen 4 API model IDs and now recommends gemini-nano-banana-2.1. Preserve the earlier gemini-3.1-flash-image recommendation as dated history; account/runtime and migration results remain untested.
Required action
Review remaining calls to the three retired Imagen 4 IDs and validate Google’s current gemini-nano-banana-2.1 replacement recommendation for the affected workflow. Re-test quality, safety, latency, quota and cost before migration.
Scope and evidence limits
Gemini API; no regional exception documented
The change applies to the listed Gemini API model endpoints; no regional exception is documented.
not_tested
Official sources
- ai.google.dev · deprecations
- ai.google.dev · changelog
- ai.google.dev · image-generation
- ai.google.dev · gemini-3.1-flash-image
- ai.google.dev · pricing
Affected components
imagen-4.0-generate-001, imagen-4.0-ultra-generate-001, imagen-4.0-fast-generate-001
Affected users
Gemini API developers generating images with any of the three stable Imagen 4 model IDs.
Migration guidance
Evaluate gemini-nano-banana-2.1 with representative Imagen 4 prompts and verify aspect-ratio, safety, provenance, latency, quota and cost requirements.
Correction history
- 2026-08-23: Post-deadline verification changed the record from scheduled shutdown to shutdown date passed.
- 2026-10-07 scoped correction: Google’s current table retains August 17, 2026 for imagen-4.0-generate-001, imagen-4.0-ultra-generate-001 and imagen-4.0-fast-generate-001 and now recommends gemini-nano-banana-2.1. The earlier gemini-3.1-flash-image recommendation is retained as dated history from the October 5 review; account/runtime access and migration results remain untested.