Google shuts down Imagen 4 image generation API, routes users to Gemini image model
On August 17, 2026, Google retired the three Imagen 4.0 API endpoints — imagen-4.0-generate-001, imagen-4.0-ultra-generate-001, and imagen-4.0-fast-generate-001 — on schedule, redirecting callers to its Gemini image model. The replacement is not a drop-in swap and is priced roughly 67% higher than Imagen 4 Standard at standard resolution, with token-based pricing that scales with resolution.
Why it matters
Marks the end of Google's dedicated Imagen 4 image-gen product line in favor of unified Gemini multimodal image generation; forces paid migration for API users.
Importance: 2/5
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