Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots. 
Altman issued the directive in an internal memo on Monday, calling for a “surge” of engineering efforts to enhance the chatbot.
Some employees have been asked to step away from other high-profile initiatives – including autonomous AI agents, advertising projects, and e-commerce features – to focus directly on ChatGPT upgrades.
The Information first reported the memo.
Altman reportedly warned staff that Google’s rapid progress in AI could create temporary economic headwinds for OpenAI. He also stressed the need for tighter control over model behaviour, a more customisable user experience and expanded image-generation capabilities.
The strategic reset comes amid a new phase of competition between major AI firms as they attempt to prove that their multibillion-dollar investments can deliver meaningful commercial returns.
Google unveiled its Gemini 3 model last month to widespread acclaim for its reasoning, coding performance and handling of specialist tasks that have challenged rival chatbots.
The launch followed OpenAI’s introduction of its first AI-powered web browser in October, a move many interpreted as a direct challenge to Google Search.
Nick Turley, OpenAI’s head of ChatGPT, publicly reinforced Altman’s directive late Monday on X, writing that the company’s focus is now “to keep making ChatGPT more capable, continue growing, and expand access around the world – while making it feel even more intuitive and personal.”
He also noted that ChatGPT now accounts for roughly 10% of all online search activity, a number he said is rising quickly.
One person familiar with the situation told Bloomberg that employees across OpenAI are being temporarily reassigned to cross-functional calls with the ChatGPT team to accelerate progress.
The Information also said OpenAI has been developing a new model internally, code-named “Garlic,” which is showing strong results in reasoning and coding tasks, two areas where Gemini 3 is thought to have surpassed OpenAI’s flagship GPT-5 model.
Google executives have touted their own approach, saying improvements in training methods and the use of proprietary AI chips have “pushed our performance quite significantly.”
The pressure comes as OpenAI confronts additional challenges: soaring datacentre costs, the complexity of staying at the forefront of AI research and fierce competition for top machine-learning talent.
Despite the heightened rivalry, both OpenAI and Google continue to post rapid growth.
Google reported in November that 650 million people are using its Gemini app. OpenAI recently announced that ChatGPT has reached 800 million weekly active users, with research firm Sensor Tower showing 93 million monthly app downloads as of October, well ahead of Gemini’s 73 million.
Meanwhile, Anthropic has seen its own momentum surge.
As of September, the company reported more than 300,000 business customers, up from fewer than 1,000 just two years earlier.
It said large accounts generating more than $100,000 in annual run-rate revenue have grown more than sevenfold over the past year.
