In a recent interview, Geoffrey Hinton often referred to as the “Godfather of AI” revealed that he now believes Google is overtaking OpenAI in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape. Hinton, a deep learning pioneer and 2024 Nobel laureate, shared that he was “surprised it took Google this long,” but now expects the tech giant to ultimately dominate the AI race. His bold prediction: “My guess is Google will win.”
Why Hinton Believes Google Is Pulling Ahead
According to Hinton, Google’s momentum is driven by several major advantages:
1. Breakthrough Model Innovation
The launch of Google’s latest Gemini model family particularly Gemini 3 has been a major turning point. Many experts, he noted, believe Gemini 3 has surpassed OpenAI’s GPT-5 in reasoning, multimodal capabilities, and overall performance. Google has also made progress with image-generating technology like the Nano Banana Pro model, reinforcing its lead in multimodal research.
2. Superior AI Hardware
Hinton emphasized Google’s ability to design and manufacture its own AI-optimized chips, such as Tensor Processing Units (TPUs). With reports of Meta considering adopting Google’s chips, Hinton called this hardware strategy a “big advantage” that improves efficiency, scalability, and long-term innovation.
3. Unmatched Resources
Google has a massive edge thanks to:
- Extensive training data
- A global network of data centers
- A top-tier talent pool of AI engineers and researchers
These assets give Google a structural advantage few competitors can replicate.
Why Google Slowed Down Earlier
Hinton believes Google could have led the AI revolution sooner but chose caution. After Microsoft’s 2016 chatbot Tay notoriously turned toxic online, Google delayed advanced public chatbot releases to protect its reputation. Despite inventing the Transformer architecture the core technology behind GPT, Gemini, and nearly every modern LLM Google waited while OpenAI seized public momentum.
Hinton’s Perspective and Legacy
Hinton worked at Google for over a decade before resigning in 2023 to speak openly about AI risks, including mass job loss and the existential threat of systems surpassing human control. His continued insights carry significant weight in shaping global AI discourse.
While OpenAI brought generative AI into the mainstream, Hinton now believes Google is positioned to lead the next era powered by Gemini, custom chip development, and unmatched resources. If his prediction proves right, the future of AI may once again belong to the company that helped build its foundation.
