Google Shelved ChatGPT Rival "LMChat" a Year Before OpenAI's Release

Thibault Sottiaux, a former DeepMind researcher, revealed that Google developed a ChatGPT-like conversational AI called "LMChat" a year before OpenAI released ChatGPT. However, the project was shelved internally to prevent it from competing with Google's core search business. This revelation highlights the "innovator's dilemma" faced by tech giants like Google, where fear of cannibalizing existing profitable products can delay groundbreaking innovations. It underscores how Google's cautious approach allowed OpenAI to capture the early lead in the generative AI market. According to Sottiaux, Google had strict internal policies preventing DeepMind from releasing products that could disrupt Google's existing business. Google executive Jeff Dean previously echoed similar sentiments, stating that early chatbots were not released because they were not deemed superior to Google Search at the time.