Google and Microsoft have recently made significant investments in two of the most valuable artificial intelligence (AI) businesses. Microsoft has invested a staggering US$10 billion (£7.8 billion) in OpenAI, which created ChatGPT, and Google has invested US$300 million in Anthropic.
The ongoing competition has gained public attention as a result of the companies’ financial support for AI. Discussions about AI’s future success increasingly center on Google’s rivalry with Microsoft for dominance.
Google has made a significant contribution to the development of artificial intelligence. Some of these contributions include the development of techniques for automating language translation, the acquisition of the AI company DeepMind, the invention of transformers—a particular type of machine learning in which an algorithm improves at tasks as it is “trained” on data, and the creation of transformers.
Even though Google has always been at the forefront of AI development, the introduction of ChatGPT marked a significant milestone. OpenAI, a company based in California, released ChatGPT in November 2022, and GPT-4, a version that is more advanced, was released in February 2023.
The introduction of ChatGPT sparked a great deal of debate regarding artificial general intelligence (AGI), or the point at which machines surpass human intelligence. This was also the subject of warnings from influential AI figure Geoffrey Hinton, who expressed his concerns about the technology in several interviews after leaving Google earlier this year.
As a direct consequence of this, there was an increase in the number of research papers focusing on large language models (LLMs), which are the AI technology on which ChatGPT is based. Information retrieval and dialog systems, two other areas of AI research, stand to lose out.
Google appears to be concerned about losing its technological advantage and market dominance in the midst of this rapid technological disruption.
Position in opposition?
This is a legitimate concern. A direct rival, ChatGPT, has made a significant profit by utilizing Google’s groundbreaking internet search strategies. Additionally, Google’s concern has grown as a result of the rapid growth of OpenAI and the influx of talent there.
One of the founding principles of OpenAI was the creation of software that was “open source,” or software that developers could share and modify. In the meantime, Google has kept a generally predictable business approach in regards to its arrangements and desires.
OpenAI’s recent move toward commercialism and closed-source practices, on the other hand, appears to be in direct opposition to its original corporate philosophy.
OpenAI has been criticized by industry insiders for its somewhat contradictory stance. It does not readily admit that it is a commercial entity, despite its claim to be an advocate of open-source AI.
ChatGPT has been using Google-developed search strategies with success. Credit: Giulio Benzin / Shutterstock.
The conflict between OpenAI’s public image and business realities (Giulio Benzin, Shutterstock) has made the rivalry with Google even more intriguing.
The need to stay ahead of the competition is likely to drive the continued development and refinement of AI technology. Google’s methods, which OpenAI used for commercial gain, will probably be improved further.
AI applications’ functionality and user experiences will both greatly benefit from this evolution.
Stronger scrutiny
Yusuf Mehdi, corporate VP at Microsoft, as of late demonstrated that the organization didn’t feel it important to update the pursuit scene, as even a solitary point expansion in a piece of the pie addressed a US$2 billion climb in esteem. This essential scaling back of their desires could be an endeavor to reduce serious tensions in the tech business.
heightened scrutiny It is important to note that Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI adds yet another layer to this intricate rivalry. To increase its influence, Google has also demonstrated its willingness to invest in AI projects from outside the company.
For instance, Google’s plan to maintain its technological lead through strategic partnerships is exemplified by the company’s investment in Anthropic, an AI research company.
The possibility that ChatGPT will spread false information, disinformation, and distortion is a concern that many people, including myself, share. It caters to approximately 2.53% of the global population, with over 200 million users.
Social media disinformation has reportedly influenced the 2016 US presidential election and significantly diminished trust in online content.
With so many people using ChatGPT, it’s possible that tech companies could manipulate conversations to influence users’ choices and preferences in subtle ways. As a result, it is becoming increasingly urgent to strengthen oversight and regulation of these large language models.
Google is still highly regarded in the global tech industry, despite the growing AI rivalry. Both Google and Microsoft have pushed the boundaries of AI technology as a result of their AI rivalry, pointing to exciting future developments.
The significance of the stakes in the AI landscape is reflected in the various strategies used in this competition, including strategic investments and talent acquisition. In particular, these businesses have a competitive advantage because they can advance their AI capabilities by acquiring top talent.
On the other hand, strategic investments enable a company’s influence and market share in the AI sector to grow and diversify into new AI applications and industries. These actions highlight the significant significance of AI technology and its potential for shaping our future.
Provided by The Conversation
