Google is chasing OpenAI’s ‘reasoning’ model with groundbreaking tech

As Google attempts to compete with OpenAI, it’s stepping up its game by focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) that mimics human reasoning. After OpenAI released its new “o1” model in September 2024, Google has accelerated efforts to enhance its AI models, working on software designed to solve complex, multistep tasks in mathematics and programming.

This race has both companies using “chain of thought prompting,” a technique where AI takes additional time to process multiple related prompts before giving an answer, improving accuracy and reasoning abilities.

As proof of that, Google has been testing new tools, like Alpha Proof and Alpha Geometry, AI models to solve problems via mathematical reasoning and geometry. Its highly anticipated Gemini AI assistant is also being upgraded with better reasoning skills, moving it closer toward OpenAI’s o1.

The increasing focus on creating AI that can not just chat but also solve real-world problems with greater precision and match the speed of human thought is gauged by the competition between the two.

Early signs have already alarmed Google DeepMind, particularly since OpenAI’s o1 model, launched via ChatGPT in September, already looks to be beating Google’s DeepMind in AI reasoning capabilities. However, Google has a range of AI offerings, including a faster, more efficient model called 1.5 Flash, and its Alpha series, which solves complex math problems in international competitions.

Google is betting that its deep research and carefully launched products will keep it competitive in the AI race as OpenAI introduces new science that leads the way with advances in reasoning.

Featured image credit: Google DeepMind/Unsplash