xAI founder Elon Musk is impressed with Gemini 3 Deep Think upgrade

Elon Musk, founder of xAI, describes Google’s recent upgrade to Gemini 3 Deep Think as impressive. He shared this brief reaction on X in response to an announcement from Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Google introduced the enhanced Gemini 3 Deep Think mode on February 12, 2026. Developers refined this specialized reasoning feature through close collaboration with scientists and researchers. The update targets complex real-world challenges in science, engineering, and research.

xAI Founder and CEO Elon Musk reacted to Google’s Gemini 3 Deep Think

The upgraded model sets new performance records on demanding benchmarks. It reaches 84.6% on ARC-AGI-2, verified by the ARC Prize Foundation. It also scores 48.4% on Humanity’s Last Exam without external tools. Additional strengths appear in competitive programming, with a 3455 Elo rating on Codeforces, and gold-medal-level results on sections of the 2025 International Physics and Chemistry Olympiads.

Researchers can apply the model in practical settings. Teams can use it to identify subtle flaws in technical papers that peer reviewers miss. Others may use it for semiconductor material growth and accelerate prototype development in fields like chemistry and physics.

The updated Deep Think mode is available immediately to Ultra subscribers through the Gemini app. Select researchers and enterprises gain access via an early program through the Gemini API.

Musk’s positive comment arrived one day after the announcement. Pichai responded directly with a thumbs-up emoji, signaling mutual recognition amid ongoing AI advancements.