Sundar Pichai Admits Google Was Ready for ChatGPT but Moved Too Cautiously in AI Race

When OpenAI introduced ChatGPT in late 2022, it didn’t just launch a chatbot—it ignited a revolution in artificial intelligence. The sudden global fascination with conversational AI caught even tech giants off guard. Among them was Google, long considered the leader in AI innovation. Yet, as CEO Sundar Pichai recalls, it was OpenAI’s bold move that set a new industry tempo and forced Google to accelerate its own AI vision.

Speaking at Salesforce’s Dreamforce conference, Pichai admitted that Google had been working on similar conversational AI technologies before ChatGPT’s debut. “But you’re right, credit to OpenAI, they put it out first,” he said, acknowledging the startup’s decisive move. The launch sparked what insiders famously called a “code red” at Google—a company-wide alert that reshaped priorities and intensified its AI development efforts.

Pichai compared ChatGPT’s release to historic inflection points in technology—moments that disrupt entire industries overnight. “For me, when ChatGPT launched, contrary to what people outside felt, I was excited because I knew the window had shifted,” he explained. It wasn’t fear that drove Google’s next steps, but recognition of a pivotal opportunity.

Behind the scenes, Google had its own AI chatbot nearly ready for release. “We knew in a different world, we would’ve probably launched our chatbot maybe a few months down the line,” Pichai revealed. The delay, he said, wasn’t due to a lack of capability but rather Google’s deep-seated culture of caution. “Reputational risk” loomed large, as the company was determined not to release a product that hadn’t undergone rigorous testing.

That prudence, however, contrasted sharply with OpenAI’s daring approach. The San Francisco-based startup chose to learn and improve ChatGPT in real time, allowing the public to shape its evolution. Google, by contrast, had built its brand on reliability and trust—qualities it was unwilling to compromise for speed.

Yet the “code red” moment galvanized Google’s workforce. Just months later, in March 2023, the company launched Bard, its conversational AI, marking a strategic comeback. Bard would later evolve into Gemini, Google’s flagship AI model, symbolizing both innovation and introspection.

The launch of Bard wasn’t just a product reveal—it was a statement. Google was reasserting its role in shaping the future of AI, but in a way consistent with its own principles. Since then, the company has poured vast resources into strengthening its AI ecosystem, integrating generative AI across search, productivity tools, and cloud platforms.

Pichai’s reflections highlight how ChatGPT’s success reignited Google’s competitive spirit rather than diminishing it. “When ChatGPT launched, I was excited because I knew the window had shifted,” he reiterated, seeing it as a catalyst rather than a threat.

In the ever-evolving race for AI dominance, Google has learned that innovation requires both speed and responsibility. OpenAI may have lit the fuse, but Google’s response—rooted in scale, research, and global reach—proves that it remains a formidable player, ready to define what comes next in artificial intelligence.