Googleâs Chatbot Got GhostedâŚBy a Startup Named OpenAI
At Dreamforce 2023, Sundar Pichai confessed that when OpenAI unleashed ChatGPT in late 2022âa scrappy startup backed by MicrosoftâGoogle threw a 'code red' like it was an episode of a tech thriller. Despite Google bragging about secret AI chatbots and billion-dollar chip investments, they werenât quite ready to go public; their chatbot was basically AI in training wheels. Pichai praised OpenAI for beating them to the punch but warned about 'reputational risk'âtranslation: afraid to release buggy AI that might roast their brand. Googleâs own chatbot debut got a toddler-style rebrand: Bard to Gemini, like a bad superhero sequel no one asked for.
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Google spent years building AI and billions on chips but got outpaced by OpenAIâs scrappy chatbot and a Microsoft boost. Their excuse? 'Reputational risk.' Translation: âOur AI still flunks basic human interaction with grace.â
OpenAI dropped ChatGPT first, and Google hit 'code red' like Hogwarts on fire. Meanwhile, Googleâs chatbot was stuck backstage, still figuring out how not to completely embarrass itself.
Googleâs AI plan was less 'mission accomplished' and more 'please donât judge us yet.' Even with billions spent, their chatbot was just waiting for an invite to the cool kidsâ table called ChatGPT.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 10/16/2025 | Author: Kelsey Vlamis
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