radar

ONE Sentinel

smart_toyAI/PROMPT ENGINEERING

Gemini 3.1 Pro

sourceSimon Willison
calendar_todayFebruary 19, 2026
schedule2 min read
lightbulb

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Gemini 3.1 Pro: A New Contender in AI Prompt Engineering

Summary

Gemini 3.1 Pro has been launched as the first model in its series, offering competitive pricing and improved performance in SVG animation compared to its predecessor. Despite initial performance issues, it shows promise in generative AI applications.

Key Points

  • Gemini 3.1 Pro is priced at $2/million input and $12/million output under 200,000 tokens, making it more affordable than Claude Opus 4.6.
  • The model boasts improved SVG animation performance, as demonstrated by a prompt generating an SVG of a pelican riding a bicycle.
  • Initial performance issues include slow response times, with one simple prompt taking 104 seconds to respond.
  • Users reported errors such as "high demand" and "deadline expired" on launch day, indicating potential teething problems.
  • The model IDs include gemini-3.1-pro-preview and gemini-3.1-pro-preview-customtools, the latter promising better tool performance in specific scenarios.
  • The Gemini 3.1 series follows the recent Deep Think release aimed at modern challenges in science and engineering.

Analysis

The launch of Gemini 3.1 Pro marks a significant advancement in AI prompt engineering, particularly in generative tasks like SVG animation. Its competitive pricing and capabilities could disrupt the market, especially for developers and researchers looking for cost-effective AI solutions.

Conclusion

IT professionals should explore Gemini 3.1 Pro for its potential in generative AI applications, while remaining cautious of initial performance issues. Monitoring updates and user feedback will be crucial for effective implementation.