Google Advances in AI Reasoning: Challenging OpenAI's Dominance

Google's rivalry with OpenAI heats up as it works on a new reasoning AI model

If you've been keeping an eye on the AI industry, then you likely know about OpenAI's o1 model. Announced in mid-September, this model's claim to glory is its complex reasoning and problem-solving skills. With its ability to mimic human reasoning, it's more adept at solving multi-step problems in fields like math and coding. According to a report from Bloomberg, Google is currently working on a model that can also perform human-like reasoning.

Google is working on reasoning AI, chasing OpenAI's efforts

Google is working on artificial intelligence software that resembles the human ability to reason, similar to OpenAI's o1, marking a new front in the rivalry between the tech giant and the fast-growing startup. In recent months, multiple teams at Alphabet Inc.'s Google have been making progress on AI reasoning software, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Such software programs are more adept at solving multistep problems in fields such as math and computer programming. AI researchers are pursuing reasoning models as they search for the next significant step forward in the technology. Like OpenAI, Google is trying to approximate human reasoning using a technique known as chain-of-thought prompting, according to two of the people. In this technique, which Google pioneered, the software pauses for a matter of seconds before responding to a written prompt while, behind the scenes and invisible to the user, it considers a number of related prompts and then summarizes what appears to be the best response. Google declined to comment on the effort. Google and OpenAI have been locked in an intense fight for dominance in AI, particularly since the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a popular chatbot that some investors worry will eventually obviate the need for Google search. Google has taken various steps to regain its lead, including merging its premier research labs to form the Google DeepMind unit and fortifying relationships between researchers and product teams. Yet the search giant continues to move more slowly when it comes to releasing AI products, pausing to consider ethical problems, the need to live up to the public's expectations of trust in its brand, and the competing interests of multiple similar efforts in the vast organization. Since OpenAI unveiled its o1 model, known internally as Strawberry, in mid-September, some in DeepMind have fretted that the company had fallen behind, according to another person with knowledge of the matter. But employees are no longer as concerned as they were following the launch of ChatGPT, now that Google has debuted some of its own work, the person said. Despite the slower pace of Google's product rollouts, it remains a formidable player, said Oren Etzioni, a veteran AI researcher who founded TrueMedia.org, a nonprofit dedicated to combating political disinformation. "Technically it's always been the case that Google's capabilities were top notch. They were just more conservative in rolling things out," Etzioni said. "It's a marathon, and it's anybody's race to win." In July, Google showcased AlphaProof, which specializes in math reasoning, and AlphaGeometry 2, an updated version of a model focused on geometry that the company debuted earlier this year. The programs aced four of the six problems featured in the International Mathematical Olympiad, an annual competition in which students tackle topics such as algebra and geometry, Google said in a blog post. At its developer conference in May, Google offered a glimpse of an AI assistant, Astra, which can use a phone's camera to see the world around it and answer questions, such as telling a user where she had left her glasses. Google said some features of assistant may come to its flagship AI model, Gemini, toward the end of this year. "Advanced mathematical reasoning is a critical capability for modern AI," Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis wrote in a post on social network X in July.

Google is chasing OpenAI's 'reasoning' model with groundbreaking tech

As Google attempts to compete with OpenAI, it's stepping up its game by focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) that mimics human reasoning. After OpenAI released its new "o1" model in September 2024, Google has accelerated efforts to enhance its AI models, working on software designed to solve complex, multistep tasks in mathematics and programming. This race has both companies using "chain of thought prompting," a technique where AI takes additional time to process multiple related prompts before giving an answer, improving accuracy and reasoning abilities. As proof of that, Google has been testing new tools, like Alpha Proof and Alpha Geometry, AI models to solve problems via mathematical reasoning and geometry. Its highly anticipated Gemini AI assistant is also being upgraded with better reasoning skills, moving it closer toward OpenAI's o1. The increasing focus on creating AI that can not just chat but also solve real-world problems with greater precision and match the speed of human thought is gauged by the competition between the two. Early signs have already alarmed Google DeepMind, particularly since OpenAI's o1 model, launched via ChatGPT in September, already looks to be beating Google's DeepMind in AI reasoning capabilities. However, Google has a range of AI offerings, including a faster, more efficient model called 1.5 Flash, and its Alpha series, which solves complex math problems in international competitions. Google is betting that its deep research and carefully launched products will keep it competitive in the AI race as OpenAI introduces new science that leads the way with advances in reasoning.

Google is taking its rivalry with OpenAI to another level

Google (GOOGL) reportedly wants to bring its artificial intelligence rivalry with OpenAI to the next level of AI models: those that can "reason." Teams at Google have made progress in recent months on software for AI models that resembles humanlike reasoning abilities, Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter. Google has long focused on "reasoning" capabilities in large language models (LLMs), including in its work on chain-of-thought prompting. With this technique, which people told Bloomberg that Google is using, LLMs can solve multistep problems using "a series of intermediate reasoning steps," similar to the way a human would. Models with this software take a longer time to respond to inquiries because they consider similar prompts that are summarized into a response. The chain-of-thought technique gives models the ability to solve more complex math- and computer-programming-related inquiries. OpenAI is also using chain-of-thought prompting for its new o1 model. After the model, which was internally called Strawberry, was released in September, some employees in Google's DeepMind unit were worried the company had fallen behind, a person told Bloomberg. However, they added that employees are no longer concerned now that Google has unveiled more competitors to OpenAI's products. Unlike in the current version of ChatGPT, OpenAI's new model doesn't have some of its "useful" features yet, such as browsing the web and file and image uploads. The o1 series models are "designed to spend more time thinking before they respond," the company said. The models, the first of which are available in preview in ChatGPT and through the company's API, can "reason" through more complex tasks and problems in science, coding, and math than earlier OpenAI models can. Google is also working on improving its Gemini chatbot's "reasoning" abilities. In July, Google made its fastest, most cost-efficient model, 1.5 Flash, available in the unpaid version of Gemini. With 1.5 Flash, Gemini will have "quicker and more helpful responses," Google said, adding that users will notice improvements to Gemini's reasoning and image processing abilities.

Google Said to Be Working on Reasoning AI, Chasing OpenAI's Efforts

In July, Google showcased AlphaProof, which specialises in math reasoning Google is working on artificial intelligence software that resembles the human ability to reason, similar to OpenAI's o1, marking a new front in the rivalry between the tech giant and the fast-growing startup. In recent months, multiple teams at Alphabet Inc.'s Google have been making progress on AI reasoning software, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Such software programs are more adept at solving multistep problems in fields such as math and computer programming. AI researchers are pursuing reasoning models as they search for the next significant step forward in the technology. Like OpenAI, Google is trying to approximate human reasoning using a technique known as chain-of-thought prompting, according to two of the people. In this technique, which Google pioneered, the software pauses for a matter of seconds before responding to a written prompt while, behind the scenes and invisible to the user, it considers a number of related prompts and then summarises what appears to be the best response. Google declined to comment on the effort. Google and OpenAI have been locked in an intense fight for dominance in AI, particularly since the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a popular chatbot that some investors worry will eventually obviate the need for Google search. Google has taken various steps to regain its lead, including merging its premier research labs to form the Google DeepMind unit and fortifying relationships between researchers and product teams. Yet the search giant continues to move more slowly when it comes to releasing AI products, pausing to consider ethical problems, the need to live up to the public's expectations of trust in its brand, and the competing interests of multiple similar efforts in the vast organisation. Since OpenAI unveiled its o1 model, known internally as Strawberry, in mid-September, some in DeepMind have fretted that the company had fallen behind, according to another person with knowledge of the matter. But employees are no longer as concerned as they were following the launch of ChatGPT, now that Google has debuted some of its own work, the person said. Despite the slower pace of Google's product rollouts, it remains a formidable player, said Oren Etzioni, a veteran AI researcher who founded TrueMedia.org, a nonprofit dedicated to combating political disinformation. "Technically it's always been the case that Google's capabilities were top notch. They were just more conservative in rolling things out," Etzioni said. "It's a marathon, and it's anybody's race to win." In July, Google showcased AlphaProof, which specialises in math reasoning, and AlphaGeometry 2, an updated version of a model focused on geometry that the company debuted earlier this year. The programs aced four of the six problems featured in the International Mathematical Olympiad, an annual competition in which students tackle topics such as algebra and geometry, Google said in a blog post. At its developer conference in May, Google offered a glimpse of an AI assistant, Astra, which can use a phone's camera to see the world around it and answer questions, such as telling a user where she had left her glasses. Google said some features of assistant may come to its flagship AI model, Gemini, toward the end of this year. "Advanced mathematical reasoning is a critical capability for modern AI," Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis wrote in a post on social network X in July. © 2024 Bloomberg L.P.

Google Is Working on Reasoning AI, Chasing OpenAI's Efforts

Google is working on artificial intelligence software that resembles the human ability to reason, similar to OpenAI's o1, marking a new front in the rivalry between the tech giant and the fast-growing startup. In recent months, multiple teams at Alphabet Inc.'s Google have been making progress on AI reasoning software, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Such software programs are more adept at solving multistep problems in fields such as math and computer programming.

Google is rumored to be working on a 'thinking' AI of its own to take on OpenAI o1

Last month, OpenAI infused ChatGPT with new o1-preview and o1-mini models that it said would "spend more time thinking before they respond" - and it seems like Google isn't too far behind with its own deep-thinking AI. As per Bloomberg, Google is also developing artificial intelligence that more closely resembles a human's ability to reason, most probably for its Gemini platform. For the time being, Google has made no official comment. Through the way that they don't rush to a response quite so fast, these models are said to be better at solving problems that involve multiple steps, in fields such as math and coding. Judging by the restrictions OpenAI has put on the o1 models, it also uses up more processing power and energy. Bloomberg doesn't say when Google might launch its thinking AI, but progress has apparently been made "in recent months," assuaging concerns inside the company that it was falling behind OpenAI. And that sounds to us like we'll be seeing some of this technology sooner rather than later. Technically, these newer models make use of what's known as chain-of-thought prompting: the AI is essentially working through several steps and considering multiple responses, as well as debating with itself about the right solution. With ChatGPT and the o1 models, you get the message "thinking" while the AI works through all of this. Based on the tests we've run, it is better than the GPT-4o model for solving riddles and working through more complex problems. Presumably, whatever Google has in the pipeline will take a similar approach. For now, OpenAI has restricted the o1-preview and o1-mini to users who pay for a ChatGPT subscription, so it'll be interesting to see if the Google equivalent requires a Gemini Advanced plan (yours for $19.99 / £18.99 / AU$32.99 a month). According to Bloomberg, Google's AI development plans are being slowed by ethical concerns, wanting to appear trustworthy, and having competing interests within its vast organization - but with OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft all busy with their own AI upgrades, the pressure is on.