Google CEO Challenges Microsoft to AI Model Comparison, Highlighting Competitive Tensions in Tech Industry

Google CEO fires one off at Microsoft by saying its ready for the AI race 'any day, any time'

TL;DR: Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed interest in comparing Google's and Microsoft's AI models side-by-side during a recent interview. Google's CEO Sundar Pichai has weighed in on the recent conversation surrounding AI and its development - Are leading AI companies struggling to scale AI models due to a lack of high-quality training data? Google CEO Sundar Pichai Reports indicate that top AI development companies such as Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google will soon hit a wall that will hinder the explosive performance jumps of AI models such as OpenAI's GPT, or Google's Gemini. However, according to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, these assumptions about AI model scaling are unfounded, saying, "There's no evidence that the scaling laws have begun to stop. They will eventually stop, but we're not there yet." These assertions that AI models will still continue to develop rapidly in the immediate future were subtly reiterated by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who wrote on X, "There's no wall". Current Google CEO Sundar Pichai joined in on the conversation at The New York Times' Dealbook summit, where he said, "I think the progress is going to get harder when I look at '25. The low-hanging fruit is gone. The hill is steeper." Pichai recognized there will be challenges ahead that simply can't be solved by throwing more compute at the AI model. "When you start out quickly scaling up, you can throw more compute and you can make a lot of progress, but you definitely are going to need deeper breakthroughs as we go to the next stage," Pichai said at the Dealbook Summit. "So you can perceive it as there's a wall, or there's some small barriers. I don't subscribe to the wall notion." Additionally, Pichai fired one off at Microsoft, saying he would love to do a side-by-side comparison between Microsoft's own AI models, and Google's. Pichai was poking fun at Microsoft's deep multi-billion investment into OpenAI, which gives the company access to OpenAI's latest GPT models that are then used to power Microsoft's recently released Copilot app.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai says he'd love to do side-by-side comparison with Microsoft's AI models

"I'd love to do a side-by-side comparison of Microsoft's own models and our models any day, any time," Pichai said, speaking at the The New York Times' Dealbook Summit on Wednesday with interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin. Pichai's comments came after Sorkin read aloud comments from an interview Nadella did earlier this year, in which the Microsoft CEO questioned Google's place in the AI arms race following the search giant's AI product mishaps earlier this year. "Google should have been the default winner in the world of big tech's AI race," Nadella said in March on the Norges Bank Investment Management's podcast. "Google's a very competent company and obviously they have both the talent and the compute. They're the vertically integrated player in this. They have everything from data to silicon to models to products and distribution." "You guys were the originals when it comes to AI," Sorkin told Pichai after reading Nadella's comments. He asked Pichai, "Where [do] you think you are in the journey relative to these other players?" "They're using someone else's models," added Pichai after saying he'd love to do the side-by-side comparison. "You're throwing down the gauntlet," Sorkin responded. Laughing, Pichai shook his head adding, "I'm just -- I have a lot of respect for them and the team." Large Language Models are a type of artificial intelligence that can analyze and generate human language, trained by vasts amount of data. While Microsoft does have its own AI models, much of the advanced capabilities in its recent offerings are powered by OpenAI's LLMs. The market for chatbots and related AI tools has exploded since OpenAI introduced ChatGPT in late 2022, giving consumers a new way to seek information online outside of traditional search. Shortly after, Microsoft it announced a partnership with OpenAI to incorporate ChatGPT into the Bing search engine. Google has used its own LLMs for years to power its artificial intelligence and search products. Google latest LLMs is its Gemini series, which powers its conversational AI that competes with OpenAI's GPT models. The company announced more advanced Gemini products in May. The latest comments come as tech companies spar amid the escalating AI arms race, particularly between Microsoft and Google. In October, Microsoft took the unusual step of publicly accusing longtime rival Google of running "shadow campaigns" in Europe, claiming those efforts were designed to discredit the search giant with regulators. Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Pichai's comments.

Google just took a shot a Microsoft's AI efforts - Phandroid

Pretty much all your major tech companies these days have some kind of AI-related product or service. Some companies, such as Google, have made efforts at developing their own AI models. Others, instead rely on already-existing models. So much so that Google doesn't even think it's a fair comparison. In a recent interview with Google CEO Sundar Pichai during The New York Times' Dealbook summit, he basically took a shot at Microsoft's AI efforts. He was quoted as saying, "I would love to do a side-by-side comparison of Microsoft's own models and our models any day, any time. They're using someone else's models." This was seemingly in response to another interview earlier this year with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Nadella had suggested that despite all of Google's resources, they had somehow "failed" to become the leader in the AI field. Pichai's latest comments seemed to be made in response to that. Now, to be fair, there are many reasons why a company might choose to use someone else's AI models rather than their own. It costs a lot of money and a lot of time to develop and train an AI model. Sometimes it would be more cost-effective and time-efficient to just use what's already available out there. Microsoft has made no secret that they are working with OpenAI in bringing AI to products and services like Bing and Windows. This doesn't mean that Microsoft wouldn't be interested in creating their own AI models, but what do you think of Google's jab at Microsoft? Fair?

Sundar Pichai Defends Google's AI, Saying He Welcomes A Side-By-Side Comparison And Claims Microsoft Relies On External Models

While this year has been tough on Google in terms of the regulations putting pressure on the company and trying to break off Chrome from it to put an end to its monopolistic practices, the company is still determined to grow and bring advancements. Google's CEO Sundar Pichai has now given users something to look forward to as major changes are promised for the search engine, and it is said to be packed with greater capabilities to handle complex queries. Google's CEO Sundar Pichai shared some promising updates during the NYT's DealBook Summit on Wednesday. One that had the users hooked was the change coming to the company's search engine. He shared that users would be in for a surprise, especially when comparing the current offering with the new one. He even responded to a comment made by Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella to dig Google by suggesting that it should have been the default winner in the AI race. Pichai got back to this with confidence by suggesting that while he would love a side-by-side comparison of the two models, Microsoft relies on external models making the comparison invalid. He was referencing the partnership with OpenAI. Google keeps emphasizing the development of its own AI models and wants to keep a distinctive approach from Microsoft by not opting for integration into its products. This push highlights the ongoing competition between the two tech giants to establish itself as the dominant player in the AI space. Pichai further shared his hope in the direction of the company by paying heed to the innovation it constantly strives for. He said: When I look at what's coming ahead, we are in the earliest stages of a profound shift. I just think there's so much innovation ahead. We are committed to being at the state of the art in this field, and I think we are. Google has been making major AI-infused advancements in Search by introducing features such as search summaries and Google Lens. The company is determined to redefine how information is searched and made available to users by using AI to make the experience more seamless and versatile. It is said that the company is working on updating its Gemini model to better compete with other big companies.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai Fires Back At Microsoft Over AI, Dismisses Satya Nadella's Criticism: 'I Would Love To Do A Side-By-Side Comparison...Any Day, Any Time' - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

Earlier this week, Alphabet Inc.'s GOOG GOOGL CEO Sundar Pichai dismissed criticism of his company's AI strategy, while targeting Microsoft Corporation MSFT. What Happened: During his appearance at The New York Times' DealBook Summit Pichai responded to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's criticism, suggesting a direct comparison between their companies' AI models. In response, Pichai noted that Microsoft relies on ChatGPT-parent OpenAI technology for its models. "I would love to do a side-by-side comparison of Microsoft's own models and our models any day, any time," but "They're using someone else's models." See Also: Jeff Bezos Optimistic About Trump's Second Term, Wants To Help Streamline Rules: 'We Do Have Too Many Regulations In This Country' Pichai also dismissed concerns that competitors might challenge Google's dominance in search. He said that Google's search engine is set for significant changes in the coming year. "I think you'll be surprised even early in '25 the kind of newer things search can do compared to where it is today," Pichai stated. In addition to competitive pressures, Google is currently dealing with legal battles that could force it to divest parts of its business, such as its Chrome browser. Subscribe to the Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox. Why It Matters: The rivalry between Google and Microsoft in the AI space has been intensifying. Earlier this year, an internal email from Microsoft showed that the company invested in OpenAI due to concerns about lagging behind Google's AI capabilities. In September 2024, Google filed a complaint with the European Commission, accusing Microsoft of anti-competitive practices in its cloud services. The following month, Microsoft accused Google of orchestrating covert lobbying campaigns to undermine its cloud computing business. Last month, Microsoft CEO defended Bing's growth against Google's search dominance, highlighting the incremental benefits of its partnership with OpenAI. "We are thrilled to be an investor. We're thrilled to be a partner around I.P. They're one of our biggest customers now," he stated at the time. Price Action: As of this writing, Alphabet's Class A stock edged down by 0.093% in pre-market trading, reaching $172.48, while Class C stock declined by 0.052% to $174.22. During Thursday's regular trading session, Class A shares fell 0.99%, closing at $172.64, and Class C shares dropped 1.01%, finishing at $174.31, according to Benzinga Pro data. Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link. Read Next: Zuckerberg Seeks 'Active Role' In Trump's Tech Policies, Says Top Executive -- Admits Meta 'Overdid It' During Pandemic Content Crackdown Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photos courtesy: World Economic Forum on Flickr Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

With 4 Words, Google's CEO Just Fired the Company's Biggest Shot Yet at Microsoft Over AI

Sundar Pichai says Google's AI models are competitive, but it's the product that is the problem. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 04: New York Times columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin and Sundar Pichai, C.E.O. of Google and Alphabet, speak during the New York Times annual DealBook summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City. The NYT summit with Ross Sorkin returns with interviews on the main stage including Sam Altman, co-founder and C.E.O. of OpenAI, Jeff Bezos, founder and executive chairman of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, among others. The discussions will touch on topics such as business, politics and culture. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)