Google CEO Sundar Pichai has taken a subtle jab at Microsoft’s AI strategy. When asked about Google’s progress in AI compared to its competitors in a recent interview at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Pichai highlighted a key difference: Google develops its own AI models, while Microsoft relies on external models from companies like OpenAI.
Interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin, asked Pichai about Google’s progress in AI compared to its competitors. He also pointed out a comment by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella who said that Google should have been the default winner in the AI race because they are “a very competent company, have both the talent and the compute.”
Pichai responded by highlighting that Microsoft relies on external AI models, while Google develops its own.
“They’re using someone else’s models,” Pichai remarked, noting Microsoft’s reported $13 billion investment in OpenAI, the company that developed ChatGPT.
Sorkin then asked Pichai whether he “is throwing down the gauntlet!” Pichai, with a laugh, stated, “I’m just — I have a lot of respect for them and the team.”
Microsoft uses OpenAI’s language models
The competition in the AI chatbot market got a boost since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in late 2022. Soon after the launch, Microsoft partnered with OpenAI and integrated OpenAI’s technology into its products, including Bing search.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has also been developing its own AI models but they are not as sophisticated and large like the ones offered by Google. On the contrary, Google has focused on developing and utilising its own large language models (LLMs).
Google CEO’s previous response to Nadella’s ‘800-pound gorilla’ remark
This is not the first time that Pichai has responded to Nadella’s comments. Earlier this year, Nadella talked about Google’s edge in terms of search business after launching AI-powered Bing search engine.
“At the end of the day, they’re the 800-pound gorilla in this. That is what they are. And I hope that, with our innovation, they will definitely want to come out and show that they can dance. And I want people to know that we made them dance, and I think that’ll be a great day,” he added.
When asked whether Google “danced” after Microsoft took a lead in launching AI-powered innovation in the form of ‘new’ Bing, Pichai said that he is focused and not “playing to someone else’s dance music.”
“I think one of the ways you can do the wrong thing is by listening to the noise out there and playing someone else’s dance music,” Pichai said in an interview with Bloomberg.
“I’ve always been very clear. I think we have a clear sense of what we need to do,” he added. When asked, “So you are listening to your own music?” Pichai said, “That’s exactly right”.