OpenAI's Altman Confirms Gemini3.0 Concerns; Benchmarks Show Google Lead

A leaked internal memo from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirms concerns about Google’s Gemini3.0, with Altman noting ‘rough vibes’ and temporary economic headwinds from Gemini’s progress [1][2][4]. However, initial rumors of a ‘wartime footing’ or hiring freeze are not supported by the memo [1][3].

Google’s Gemini3.0 outperforms OpenAI’s GPT5.1 across multiple critical benchmarks:

• Coding: LiveCodeBench Pro (2439 vs.2243) [5][8]
• Terminal tasks:54.2% vs.47.6% [5]
• Agentic tool use:85.4% vs.80.2% [8]
• Long-horizon planning: $5478 vs.$1473 [5]
  GPT5.1 retains a narrow edge in SWE-Bench Verified bug fixing (76.3% vs.76.2%) [5][7].

Google’s structural advantages—including owned data centers and ad revenue to subsidize AI investments—position it strongly against OpenAI [3][8]. OpenAI faces pressure to accelerate product updates to maintain market share amid Gemini’s gains [1][4].

• Risks
  : OpenAI’s valuation may face downward pressure due to Gemini’s competitive edge; slower revenue growth could impact funding access.
• Opportunities
  : Google could capture additional enterprise AI market share; OpenAI’s focus on speed and conversational abilities may resonate with consumer and certain enterprise segments [7][8].