December 11, 2024 – Following the emergence of ChatGPT in 2022, Microsoft swiftly capitalized on the opportunity by investing billions of dollars into OpenAI. This bold move allowed Microsoft to gain quick access to pre-developed AI models, giving them a significant lead over competitors who were still starting from scratch.
Recently, however, Google CEO Sundar Pichai took a jab at Microsoft’s strategy. Speaking at The New York Times’ Dealbook Summit, Pichai expressed his willingness to compare Google’s AI models with those utilized by Microsoft, emphasizing that the latter is relying on externally developed models.
“I’m always ready to compare our models with Microsoft’s,” Pichai stated, “They are using someone else’s model.”
His comment could be seen as a response to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s earlier remark in March, where Nadella suggested that with its resources, talent, and computing power, Google should have been the “default winner” in the AI race.
Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI has proven mutually beneficial. The tech giant has swiftly integrated ChatGPT into its product line, securing a competitive edge in the AI race. Meanwhile, OpenAI has secured crucial funding to continue advancing its large language models.
On the other hand, Google’s journey in the AI competition has been less than smooth. The company’s early AI models struggled to produce accurate responses, and a leaked internal document even revealed a senior engineer’s concern that these products lacked winning potential.
For the past decade, the rivalry between Google and Microsoft centered around internet browsers, with Google dominating the market with Chrome, while Microsoft pushed Edge to capture a larger share. However, with AI sweeping the globe over the past two years, both giants have poured billions into developing cutting-edge large language models.
