Claude vs Gemini: 59 vs 58 on Index, $4/$20 [2026]
By Google News AI ·
The latest Claude vs Gemini matchup comes down to one point and one access problem. Gemini 4 Carbon scores 59 on the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index v5, one point ahead of Claude Opus 5.5 at 58, according to tbreak’s write-up of the index. The same report says Opus 5.5 still leads on coding agents, 62 to 59, and that Carbon costs $7.76 per index task against $10.04 for Opus.
Here is the catch. Google reportedly announced Carbon on October 28, 2026 and has so far opened it only to selected cyber defenders and trusted partners through its Fairwind Program, with broader access still pending.
Anthropic introduced Opus 5.5 as the first model in its Claude 5.5 family, and its model documentation presents it as the current Opus, available on the Claude API, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure.
So the practical Gemini vs Claude choice today is Opus 5.5 against Gemini 4 Argon, which Google reportedly made generally available on October 13, with Carbon as the announced successor you cannot yet call.
This matchup sits inside a crowded field. Our three-way test of the best AI model adds an OpenAI contender, while this piece stays on the two labs people search for most: Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini. Every number below carries its source, and vendor claims are labeled as vendor claims.
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Readers who want the answer first can start with this snapshot. The details, tables and caveats follow in the sections below.
The takeaway: if you ship software this week, pick between Opus 5.5 and Argon on your own prompts. If you run security research and hold a Fairwind seat, Carbon is the model to test. If you only chat in an app, the plan you already pay for decides most of it.
Both labs moved to new generations this autumn, so a quick map helps. Anthropic’s current line is Claude 5.5. Opus 5.5 arrived first on September 22, Sonnet 5.5 followed in the weeks after, and Haiku 5.5 landed on October 7.
Anthropic’s model docs list all four tiers with a 1M-token context window and 128K maximum output: Fable 5.1 at $10 and $50 per million tokens, Opus 5.5 at $4 and $20, Sonnet 5.5 at $2 and $10, and Haiku 5.5 from $0.10 and $0.50.
Two Anthropic names need care. Fable 5.1 is the premium tier, listed for Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise users, and Anthropic says Opus 5.5 performs at the level of Fable 5.1 on most work while costing 40% less to run than Opus 5. Claude Mythos 5.1 is a different matter.
Anthropic describes it as available to vetted cyberdefenders and life scientists through trusted-access programs, not as a general consumer model. Claude Opus 5 is now the predecessor, and it is no longer the newest Opus.
Google’s picture has a similar split. Gemini 4 Argon is the generally available flagship. It reached developers and enterprises through the Gemini API and AI Studio on October 13, reached Google AI Ultra subscribers in Google Antigravity, and reached Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers in the Gemini app and AI Mode in Search. Gemini 4 Carbon is announced and restricted.
Google’s own post calls it the strongest model, with state-of-the-art cybersecurity and long-horizon capabilities, and says the company is taking part in the U.S. government’s voluntary pre-release testing process before a wider launch.
Older Gemini names still show up in searches. Gemini 3.5 Flash is one of them, and Gemini Omni 1.2 Flash, reported on…
Originally published by Google News AI
