'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton says Google is 'beginning to overtake' OpenAI: 'My guess is Google will win' (www.businessinsider.com)

Geoffrey Hinton, renowned as the "Godfather of AI," recently expressed that Google is poised to surpass OpenAI in the competitive AI landscape, following the successful releases of its Gemini 3 and Nano Banana Pro models. Hinton noted it was surprising that it took Google this long to catch up, given its historical lead in AI research, including the invention of transformers and earlier chatbot development. He highlighted that Google's recent moves, including the potential billion-dollar AI chip deal with Meta, coupled with its robust research capabilities and data infrastructure, position the company favorably against OpenAI. Hinton's remarks come as Google attempts to reclaim its reputation after past caution in AI rollouts, including a response to Microsoft’s controversial 2016 chatbot. While expressing optimism about Google's prospects, Hinton did not downplay the societal risks of AI, which he has vocally critiqued since leaving the company in 2023. In a notable gesture, Google announced a $10 million CAD donation to establish the Hinton Chair in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Toronto, further cementing Hinton’s influential legacy in the field.