OpenAI CEO declares “code red” as Gemini gains 200 million users in 3 months
In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly declared a “code red” at the company, a move aimed at enhancing the capabilities of ChatGPT in response to mounting competition from Google’s recently launched Gemini 3 model. According to a leaked internal memo shared by The Information, this decision comes after Gemini 3 has demonstrated superior performance on various industry benchmarks, garnering significant acclaim across social media platforms. Altman’s memo emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We are at a critical time for ChatGPT,” and outlined a strategic pivot that includes delaying advertising plans and other product developments to focus solely on improving the chatbot.
The memo also highlights a shift in operational priorities, with Altman encouraging temporary team transfers and instituting daily check-ins for employees dedicated to enhancing ChatGPT. This strategic maneuver mirrors a similar situation from December 2022 when Google declared its own “code red” after the explosive popularity of ChatGPT. At that time, Google CEO Sundar Pichai reallocated resources across the company to accelerate the development of AI products to counter OpenAI’s rapid ascent. This cyclical pattern underscores the fierce competition in the AI landscape, where both companies are continually adjusting their strategies in response to each other’s advancements. As the industry evolves, the stakes have never been higher, with both OpenAI and Google racing to establish their dominance in the AI chatbot space.
Altman’s decisive action reflects the heightened pressure within the tech community to innovate and respond swiftly to emerging threats. The delay of advertising integration and other projects indicates that OpenAI is prioritizing the improvement of ChatGPT’s capabilities, potentially to reclaim its position as a leader in the AI field. As the rivalry between these tech giants intensifies, industry observers will be keenly watching to see how these developments unfold and what impact they will have on the future of AI technology.
The shoe is most certainly on the other foot. On Monday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly declared a “code red” at the company to improve ChatGPT, delaying advertising plans and other products in the process, The Information
reported
based on a leaked internal memo. The move follows Google’s
release
of its Gemini 3 model last month, which has outperformed ChatGPT on some industry benchmark tests and sparked high-profile praise on social media.
In the memo, Altman wrote, “We are at a critical time for ChatGPT.” The company will push back work on advertising integration, AI agents for health and shopping, and a personal assistant feature called
Pulse
. Altman encouraged temporary team transfers and established daily calls for employees responsible for enhancing the chatbot.
The directive creates an odd symmetry with events from December 2022, when Google management
declared
its own “code red” internal emergency after ChatGPT
launched
and rapidly gained in popularity. At the time, Google CEO Sundar Pichai
reassigned
teams across the company to develop AI prototypes and products to compete with OpenAI’s chatbot. Now, three years later, the AI industry is in a very different place.
Read full article
Comments
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Tech & AI news.
