Google is diving deeper into artificial intelligence (AI), developing software that mimics human-like reasoning, similar to OpenAI’s recent innovations. This move signifies the next phase of competition between the tech giant and the rapidly growing AI start-up, OpenAI. Over recent months, multiple teams at Alphabet’s Google have been making strides in AI reasoning software, according to insiders familiar with the matter.
Reasoning software has the potential to solve complex, multistep problems in areas like mathematics and computer programming more efficiently than previous models. The key to this new frontier is a technique called “chain-of-thought prompting,” a method pioneered by Google itself. This technique allows AI to pause briefly before responding to a prompt, taking a few moments to consider related ideas behind the scenes before producing the most accurate and thoughtful answer.
Both Google and OpenAI are focused on developing AI models that come closer to human-like reasoning capabilities. Though OpenAI has gained attention with its recent breakthroughs, Google remains a formidable force. The company has consolidated its AI expertise under the Google DeepMind unit and strengthened collaboration between researchers and product teams.
While Google has taken a more conservative approach to rolling out AI products compared to its rival, industry experts believe its capabilities remain cutting-edge. Oren Etzioni, an AI researcher and founder of TrueMedia.org, says, “Technically, Google’s AI abilities have always been top-notch. They were just more cautious in releasing new products.”
Meanwhile, OpenAI continues to push forward. The company recently secured a staggering $6.6 billion in funding, bringing its valuation to $157 billion. This makes OpenAI one of the world’s largest venture-backed start-ups, alongside SpaceX and ByteDance (owner of TikTok). The size of this investment underscores the tech industry’s belief in the power of AI and the immense costs associated with its development. The funding round was led by Thrive Capital, with participation from Khosla Ventures, Altimeter Capital, and Fidelity Management & Research Company.
As both Google and OpenAI advance in their AI research and product offerings, the competition is set to shape the future of artificial intelligence. With Google aiming to close the gap and OpenAI accelerating its growth, the race for AI supremacy continues.
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