OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has ordered a companywide “code red” push to shore up ChatGPT after internal warnings that Google’s Gemini 3 has closed the gap, according to a memo seen by The Wall Street Journal. The memo frames the moment as urgent, competition that was once distant looks closer today, and Altman signaled that OpenAI needs an all-hands effort to speed product improvements and reliability work. The move reflects a broader scramble across the AI space as firms race to ship higher-performing chat models and the infrastructure to run them.
Google’s Gemini 3 has made notable leaps since summer rollout, and a separate presentation tied to Google’s internal planning reportedly urged staff to double AI serving capacity every six months, a sign that rivals are investing heavily in raw compute and reliability. That pressure seems to be what prompted Altman’s memo.
OpenAI is balancing technical urgency with financial realities. The company has been lining up large investments to fund growth, and observers note that falling behind on product perception could make fresh funding harder to secure. ConsolePCGaming’s earlier coverage of Altman’s public comments has tracked those funding and risk notes, including how he expects certain roles to change as models improve – see Altman predicts job losses to AI and his remarks about relying on ChatGPT during personal moments in the newborn baby interview.
Altman’s wording in the memo reportedly warned that “the vibes out there” will be rough for a bit – plain language that underlines how seriously leadership views the competitive threat. If ChatGPT slips from the top spot in the marketplace, that could have knock-on effects for partnerships, revenue, and future hiring. Technically, closing the gap is not just about model quality. Competitors are also pouring resources into the back-end – serving, latency, and scaling – which is why Google’s internal guidance about capacity matters. OpenAI’s code red push appears to target both model improvements and the production plumbing that keeps ChatGPT responsive at scale.
For fans of the space, the memo is a reminder that leadership at major AI shops is watching rivals closely and is willing to push hard when threats appear. The next few releases from OpenAI and Google will be watched for performance gains, new features, and signs that one side pulled decisively ahead. Readers who want more context on Altman’s public comments and how they fit into the company’s approach to ChatGPT can read more in the linked pieces above.
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