Geoffrey Hinton: Google is overtaking OpenAI in the AI race

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Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the “Godfather of AI,” believes Google is now in a stronger position than OpenAI in the generative AI race. In a recent conversation with Business Insider, Hinton pointed to Google’s integrated infrastructure, research depth, and compute advantage as the key reasons why it could overtake its rival.

Hinton, who left Google earlier this year to speak more openly about the risks of artificial general intelligence (AGI), said that while OpenAI’s ChatGPT captured public imagination early, Google has since responded decisively—with the Gemini model family, custom TPUs, and access to YouTube-scale data.

“They’ve got the infrastructure, they’ve got the researchers, and now they’re moving quickly,” Hinton said, referencing Google’s recent Gemini 3 launch and the rollout of Gemini-integrated products like Nano Banana Pro and AI Overviews in Search.

He acknowledged OpenAI’s impact but suggested that its reliance on Microsoft’s infrastructure could become a bottleneck as demands on compute scale up. “Google controls its entire stack,” Hinton emphasized. “That’s a long-term advantage.”

Despite leaving Google, Hinton remains optimistic about responsible AI development and called for greater transparency across the industry. He also reiterated earlier concerns about AI risks—from misinformation to job displacement—and advocated for international AI safety frameworks.

The comments come amid renewed momentum at Google, which is rapidly expanding its AI footprint across consumer, enterprise, and developer products. Meanwhile, OpenAI is still navigating internal tensions and market expectations after its recent leadership crisis and GPT-5 roadmap announcements.

Hinton’s view adds a respected voice to growing speculation that Google may reclaim leadership in generative AI—by focusing not just on models, but the infrastructure, research, and delivery at scale.