Upgrade @google/genai to 2.30+ with continuation and grounding regressions #2445

Decision: TEST

The broad dependency PR #2405 was closed unmerged on 2026-10-17. Preserve the actionable Gemini reliability work as a focused, independently reviewable maintenance change.

Primary evidence

Google released @google/genai 2.30.0 on 2026-10-14:

• Release commit: googleapis/js-genai@1de87f8
• Prior pinned recipe: fix: bump the npm-minor-patch group across 1 directory with 36 updates #2405 (comment)

The release fixes continuation-hop loss, retries after prompt feedback, lost grounding metadata, stale continuation state, and swallowed errors. EventRelay's video analyzer and event-extraction paths use ai.models.generateContent. This issue does not claim a production incident.

Baseline

• Current verified main dependency from the prior receipt: @google/genai ^2.24.0.
• Closed PR fix: bump the npm-minor-patch group across 1 directory with 36 updates #2405 only reached ^2.27.0.
• No focused issue matching Gemini 2.30 continuation/grounding was found before creation.
• Existing older-model and Gemini 3.8 compatibility behavior must remain intact.

Acceptance criteria

1. Update @google/genai to ^2.30.0 or a later compatible release after inspecting its changelog and lockfile diff.
2. Add focused tests proving:
   • dropped continuation hops are recovered;
   • prompt feedback terminates without an invalid retry;
   • grounding metadata survives continuation;
   • genuine SDK errors remain visible;
   • existing Gemini 3.8 and older-model parameter behavior remains unchanged.
3. Run the focused Gemini tests, type-check, build, and applicable exact-head CI.
4. Record exact dependency version, commit SHA, test commands/results, unresolved reviews, and remaining live-provider uncertainty.
5. No production deployment or live-provider claim.

Shortest build

1. Branch from the then-current main.
2. Apply only the SDK/lockfile change and focused regression fixtures.
3. Run focused tests before and after the dependency update under comparable conditions.
4. Open a draft PR linked to this issue.
5. After exact-head checks, reviews, and mergeability pass, obtain exact-head merge authorization.

ESTIMATE: 1–3 engineering hours, excluding CI/provider delays. The SDK is Apache-2.0 and has no separate SDK fee; Gemini API usage follows the existing provider account and pricing.

Rollback

Revert the focused dependency/test commit and restore the previous lockfile. If any compatibility regression appears, keep the issue open with the exact failing fixture and do not merge.