Google deprecates Imagen 4 and Veo 2/3 generation models from the Gemini API, Veo shutdown on June 30

Google announced on June 15, 2026 the deprecation of its Imagen 4 image generation family and Veo 2/3 video generation models from the Gemini API. Veo users face a June 30 deadline — less than two weeks away — while Imagen 4 developers have until August 17.

What's new

Two distinct deprecation tracks took effect with the announcement:

Imagen 4 — shutdown August 17, 2026:

• imagen-4.0-generate-001
• imagen-4.0-ultra-generate-001
• imagen-4.0-fast-generate-001

Veo — shutdown June 30, 2026:

• veo-2.0-generate-001
• veo-3.0-generate-001
• veo-3.0-fast-generate-001

For video, the replacement path is Veo 3.1 preview: veo-3.1-generate-preview and veo-3.1-fast-generate-preview. For images, Google directs developers to newer stable or preview Imagen endpoints listed on its deprecations page.

The Gemini API changelog also notes that Gemini 2.0 Flash models were fully shut down on June 1, with replacements in the gemini-3.5 and gemini-3.1 family.

Context

The Gemini API has cycled through model versions rapidly in 2026. Veo 3 was itself a relatively recent addition to the API — now being superseded by Veo 3.1 preview. Google's deprecation policy defines the shutdown date as "the earliest possible date" on which a model might be retired, meaning it could be extended but should not be assumed to be.

The June 1 Gemini 2.0 Flash shutdown established the pattern: Google gives notice, then enforces hard API errors on the shutdown date, redirecting traffic to successors.

Why it matters

The Veo deadline is genuinely urgent. Any production application using veo-2.0-generate-001 or veo-3.0-generate-001 will break on June 30 without migration. The two Veo 3.1 preview replacements are not yet stable releases — developers switching are moving to preview-tier endpoints, which carry their own availability caveats.

For Imagen, the August 17 timeline is tighter than it first appears for enterprise deployments: two months covers planning and testing, but not always full procurement cycles. Teams running imagen-4.0-ultra-generate-001 for high-fidelity production workloads should begin migration planning immediately. The broader signal is that Google is consolidating its image and video generation lineup around a newer generation, and is willing to force the transition on a fixed calendar.