Marc Benioff says he won’t return to ChatGPT after trying Gemini 3
When Marc Benioff tried out Google’s Gemini 3, he walked away saying he wasn’t planning to go back to ChatGPT. That off-hand comment set off a buzz in the AI world, instantly throwing the two companies into a sharper focus. It came at a time when both Google and OpenAI are scrambling for the lead in what analysts are calling the most closely watched rivalry in the field.
Benioff’s blunt take pushed journalists to line up the claims each lab makes about its next-gen system. Google, for its part, says Gemini 3 nudges the limits on reasoning, multimodal perception and tool-use, mixing text and images in ways that were previously hard to pull off. The gap between the platforms now feels more than a technical footnote; it’s a hint that the competition is really heating up.
For anyone watching the next chapter of generative AI, the stakes look pretty high, even if we’re still figuring out exactly how the two will stack up.
His comments immediately intensified comparisons between Google and OpenAI, the two companies locked in the most closely watched AI rivalry. According to Google, Gemini 3 brings major improvements in complex reasoning, multimodal understanding, and tool-use capabilities. It integrates text, images, video, and code processing, positioning it as Google's first truly general-purpose, agentic AI system across consumer and enterprise products.
Alongside it, Google introduced Nano Banana Pro, a new image-generation and editing model that promises studio-grade visuals, reliable text rendering, multilingual support, consistent brand styling, and high-resolution (including 4K) output. The model is already rolling out across Google Workspace and the Gemini app, signalling Google's push to tie creative workflows directly into its AI ecosystem. The launches represent one of Google's most aggressive bids yet to reclaim AI leadership, especially as OpenAI continues rapid advancements with its GPT-5 series.
Will other executives jump on the bandwagon? Benioff’s tweet is straightforward: after three years of using ChatGPT every day, two hours with Gemini 3 was enough to make him quit. He calls the model’s reasoning, speed, and handling of images and video “insane.” Google’s own press release echoes that, pointing to big jumps in complex reasoning, multimodal understanding and tool use, with text, pictures and video all tied together.
The claim has already sharpened the rivalry story between Google and OpenAI, sparking side-by-side comparisons. Still, the wider market reaction is hazy; we haven’t seen data showing whether developers or enterprises will move in large numbers. A two-hour trial can’t answer questions about long-term reliability or cost, and Benioff’s impression might be tied to his particular workflow.
Without third-party benchmarks, it’s hard to say how big the Gemini 3 edge really is. For now, the episode highlights how fast opinions can flip when a new multimodal model lands, and it leaves us watching the next round of head-to-head tests.
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Common Questions Answered
Why did Marc Benioff say he won't return to ChatGPT after testing Gemini 3?
Benioff spent two hours testing Gemini 3 and described its reasoning, speed, and image and video handling as "insane," which convinced him to quit his three‑year habit of daily ChatGPT use.
What improvements does Google claim Gemini 3 has over previous models?
Google states that Gemini 3 delivers major gains in complex reasoning, multimodal understanding, and tool‑use capabilities, integrating text, images, video, and code processing to serve as its first truly general‑purpose, agentic AI system.
How does Gemini 3's multimodal capability compare to ChatGPT according to the article?
The article highlights that Gemini 3 can process text, images, video, and code within a single model, whereas ChatGPT has been primarily text‑centric, making Gemini 3's multimodal handling a key differentiator noted by Benioff.
What impact has Benioff's comment had on the rivalry between Google and OpenAI?
Benioff's blunt tweet intensified comparisons between Google and OpenAI, sharpening the narrative of the most closely watched AI rivalry and sparking speculation about whether other executives will follow his lead.