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Gemini AI Matches World’s Best Coders In Programming Contest
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Last Updated: Sep 19, 2025
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Google DeepMind’s Gemini 2.5 Deep Think won a gold-medal at the 2025 International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC) World Finals, which represents one of the most challenging coding competitions worldwide.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Its score would rank 2nd overall compared to top university teams.
- Gemini previously won gold at the International Mathematical Olympiad.
- Gemini solved Problem C, which no human university team managed.
Google announced that their AI system completed 10 out of 12 problems, according to official ICPC rules, which would have ranked it in second position among university teams.
“The ICPC has always been about setting the highest standards in problem solving. Gemini successfully joining this arena, and achieving gold-level results, marks a key moment in defining the AI tools and academic standards needed for the next generation. Congratulations to Google DeepMind; this work will help us fuel a digital renaissance for the benefit of all,” said Dr. Bill Poucher, ICPC Global Executive Director, as reported by Google.
This success comes just two months after Gemini’s gold-medal performance at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), which demonstrated its enhanced capabilities for abstract thinking and creative problem-solving.
The competition took place in Baku Azerbaijan where Gemini solved eight problems within 45 minutes, and completed two more problems within three hours. The AI system solved Problem C which remained unsolved by all human teams during the competition. The AI system also solved the duct-and-reservoir problem through a sophisticated method which combined minimax theorem analysis with advanced search algorithms..
Gemini’s performance shows how AI can compete with top human coders. Researchers say that If its solutions were combined with the best human answers, all 12 problems would have been solved.
Beyond competitions, experts see this as a sign that AI could become a true collaborator in solving real-world challenges.
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