Sean Walsh
Sean is a Director at Intelligency heading up our digital marketing and client services operations. Sean has 15+ years experiencing working both in-house and agency with brands including Lloyds, Alstom, Hitachi, Lufthansa, Viaplay, DFDS Seaways and Mercedes-Benz.
In the rapidly evolving world of technology, shifts in consumer behaviour often determine which companies lead the charge. Google has long been synonymous with internet searches, a role it solidified by becoming the go-to platform for finding information online. Now, a new player in the digital space—ChatGPT—has emerged as a potential challenger, not only to traditional search engines but also to how people think about artificial intelligence (AI).
ChatGPT: The AI brand of choice?
Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, has expressed concern that ChatGPT is becoming synonymous with AI, much like Google is synonymous with search. This observation came during Google’s 2025 strategy meeting, where the focus was on scaling consumer-facing AI products to maintain their dominant position. The sentiment behind these concerns is clear: as users increasingly rely on conversational AI for answers, advice, and tasks, ChatGPT could redefine how people search and interact with technology.
For years, Google has been at the forefront of providing relevant, fast, and reliable search results. However, the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT introduces a new approach: instead of offering pages of links, ChatGPT delivers direct, conversational responses tailored to the user’s needs. This shift appeals to consumers looking for more intuitive, time-saving interactions, which may explain why ChatGPT is quickly gaining traction.
Google’s response: Scaling Gemini
To address this challenge, Google is prioritising Gemini, its AI-powered large language model (LLM). Pichai has described Gemini as central to Google’s 2025 vision, aiming to deliver state-of-the-art AI products. Despite Gemini’s technological advancements, the key question remains: can Google capture the same level of consumer trust and brand association in AI as it has in search?
In its early days, Google succeeded by being “scrappy,” building innovative solutions with limited resources. Pichai emphasised a return to this mindset as Google works to ship AI products faster and focus on solving real user problems. But speed alone may not be enough; consumer perception will likely play a decisive role in determining which AI platform leads the market.
What is Google Gemini?
Google Gemini is the tech giant’s flagship AI-powered large language model (LLM), designed to compete with platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Announced as a key focus for 2025, Gemini aims to integrate advanced AI capabilities into Google’s ecosystem and provide users with a conversational tool that rivals existing AI assistants.
Gemini’s standout features include:
- Advanced understanding: Leveraging Google’s extensive knowledge base, Gemini offers accurate and nuanced responses across a variety of topics.
- Multimodal capabilities: Gemini is designed to process and integrate diverse inputs, such as text, images, and potentially other media formats.
- Integration with Google services: By connecting to Google’s existing tools like Gmail, Google Docs, and Maps, Gemini delivers a seamless, unified user experience.
- Consumer focus: Google positions Gemini as a practical tool designed to address real-world problems and improve productivity.
- Gemini represents Google’s ambitious move to redefine the AI landscape and stay ahead of its competitors.
Gemini vs. ChatGPT: Key differences
As Google and OpenAI battle for dominance in the AI space, understanding the differences between their platforms is essential. Here’s how Gemini and ChatGPT compare:
1. Data and training
Gemini: Built using Google’s massive data repository, including Search and YouTube, Gemini has access to vast and highly relevant information.
ChatGPT: OpenAI’s model relies on a generalised internet dataset, making it broad in scope but less specialised in specific domains.
2. Integration
Gemini: Fully integrated with Google’s services, Gemini offers users a unified experience across email, productivity tools, and Search.
ChatGPT: While powerful as a standalone platform, ChatGPT’s integrations are limited to external APIs and partnerships.
3. Capabilities
Gemini: Its multimodal design allows it to process text, images, and potentially videos, making it versatile for various tasks.
ChatGPT: Focused primarily on text-based tasks, though OpenAI is exploring multimodal enhancements.
4. Consumer focus
Gemini: Prioritises practical applications, helping users solve everyday problems efficiently.
ChatGPT: Combines practical functionality with conversational depth, appealing to those seeking a natural and human-like interaction.
5. Brand trust and perception
Gemini: Backed by Google’s established reputation for innovation and reliability, Gemini benefits from consumer trust.
ChatGPT: Enjoys early-mover advantage as the first widely adopted conversational AI.
In summary…
The competition between ChatGPT and Gemini underscores a broader transformation in how users interact with information. Conversational AI is redefining consumer behaviour, shifting the focus from traditional search engines to dynamic, intuitive tools.
2025 will be a pivotal year, as Google and OpenAI vie for dominance in the AI space. Whether ChatGPT continues to set the standard or Gemini redefines the game, one thing is clear: the future of search and AI is conversational, and it’s here to stay.
