Google vs Microsoft

For over a decade, Microsoft played catch-up to Google. Bing chased Search. Bing Maps chased Google Maps. It was a familiar pattern.

Now the tables have turned.

With the emergence of ChatGPT and Microsoft's swift integration of AI across its products, Google finds itself in an unfamiliar position — playing defense. Their rushed Bard announcement, the demo mishaps, the scrambling to respond. It's all very un-Google.

Being a first mover can provide a significant advantage. It's not just about the technology — it's about mindshare, user habits, and ecosystem lock-in. Once people build workflows around a tool, switching costs compound.

Microsoft understood this. They moved fast, integrated deeply, and didn't wait for perfection.

Google, with all its AI research prowess, got caught flat-footed. And now they're learning what Microsoft knew for years: catching up requires more than matching features. It requires changing perception.

The irony is thick. The company that defined the search era might now be defined by how well it responds to disruption.