Geoffrey Hinton, a leading AI researcher often referred to as the 'godfather of AI', has recently stated that Google is likely to surpass rival OpenAI in the AI race.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Hinton expressed surprise that it had taken Google, where he previously worked, this long to catch up. He cited Google's recent release of the Gemini 3 model and the Nano Banana Pro image generator as factors that have shifted momentum. 

According to Business Insider, Hinton noted in the interview that Google has significant advantages, including a large team of researchers, vast data resources, and its own custom AI chips, which he called a "big advantage."

He suggested that Google, which invented key AI technology like the transformer, had been more cautious than competitors in the past. According to Hinton, the company was concerned about protecting its reputation after witnessing problematic AI releases from other firms, a stance echoed by CEO Sundar Pichai in past comments. This caution previously led to some flawed product rollouts, such as an AI image generator paused last year for generating inaccurate historical images.

Hinton's remarks come as reports indicate internal concern at OpenAI about Google's progress, a reversal from three years ago when Google declared a "code red" following the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT. Hinton left Google in 2023 to speak freely about AI risks and was jointly awarded a Nobel Prize in physics in 2024, states the Business Insider report on the matter.

In other news, Google announced a donation of $10 million CAD to help establish a chair in AI at the University of Toronto in Hinton's honour, which the university will match.