When an input torque becomes greater by a predetermined value or more due to an operation of increasing an amount of accelerator depression amount or the like during a gear shift, a controller for an automatic transmission updates a target gear shift characteristic value to a target gear shift characteristic value which is set when the gear shift is started with the input torque based on the input torque at the updating time, and performs gear shift control from a degree of progress in gear shift at the updating time based on the updated target gear shift characteristic value. Since the target gear shift characteristic value can be changed with respect to an increase in the input torque during the gear shift by this control, it is possible to prevent a decrease in durability of frictional engagement elements.