REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
- Google launched Gemini 3, sparking talks of a strong comeback in the AI race.
- OpenAI became synonymous with AI chatbots, but there are signs that Google is catching up.
- Here's a look at key differences between ChatGPT 5 and Gemini 3.
Google is mounting a striking comeback in the AI race.
After ChatGPT blindsided the company in 2022 and turned OpenAI into the face of generative AI, Google spent three years working to regain its footing.
The company launched Gemini 3, calling it its most advanced model yet. The positive reviews the AI bot has received since its debut could be the clearest sign yet that Google's turnaround is real.
Now, it's OpenAI that appears to be on its heels. As first reported by The Information, Sam Altman sent employees a memo outlining a "code red" situation and calling for rapid improvements to ChatGPT, a sign that OpenAI is taking Google's latest advance seriously.
Here is a look at the differences between GPT-5.1 and Gemini 3, and which one might better suit your needs.
How do ChatGPT-5.1 and Gemini 3 compare in price?
ChatGPT offers a free version, limited to about 10 messages every three hours, with slower response times during peak hours. The free version lacks advanced data analysis features and the ability to create custom GPTs.
ChatGPT Plus costs $20 a month, which gives you unlimited chats and the newest features like AI image generation. For a professional power user, there is also ChatGPT Pro at $200 a month, which provides unlimited access to all of OpenAI's models and offers prioritized response times at peak hours. Groups can buy ChatGPT Team, starting at $25 per user a month, for a collaborative workspace to share resources and custom GPTs.
Google takes a similar approach with Gemini. There's a free tier, but users are limited to five prompts for all tools and up to 100 images per day, and five deep research reports a month. The AI uses a token system to calculate how many more times a task can be performed.
An upgrade to Google AI Pro, which costs $19.99 a month, unlocks the latest model, as well as coding tools, the Gemini assistant in Chrome, and access to Gemini in Google apps. This plan is free for a year for all students. If a basic paid plan is still not enough, Google AI Ultra comes at $249.99 a month. This top-tier plan significantly increases the number of credits the user has to generate AI videos, and it comes with a YouTube Premium subscription.
Where can you access ChatGPT-5 versus Gemini 3?
Where the two tools diverge is in how they integrate with other apps.
ChatGPT works with a wide range of third-party services through plugins, connecting to tools like Slack, Zapier, Instacart, Trello, and more. It's easy for developers to build ChatGPT into their own apps.
In October, OpenAI launched a browser called Atlas that allows users to access GPT straight from the browser. Atlas itself is also powered by GPT and has a chat-style search bar.
Gemini, meanwhile, is built into Google's ecosystem. It plugs directly into Gmail, Google Docs, Drive, Sheets, Calendar, and other Workspace apps. It is also available to developers through Google AI Studio and Google Cloud.
Gemini 3 is the first time Google is introducing its new AI model to search immediately upon release. Without downloading an app or visiting a separate webpage, users can access Gemini 3 in Google search by clicking "AI mode." This could be a major advantage for anyone who already works in Google's world and needs a productivity tool.
Why is everyone talking about Gemini 3?
Google's new Gemini 3 model has been met with a wave of praise since its release in early November, and the buzz is starting to put pressure on rivals.
There are a few reasons Gemini 3 has AI enthusiasts excited.
For starters, the model is built directly into Google Search. Paying subscribers can select a new "Thinking" mode that pipes Gemini's reasoning capabilities into search queries, producing more detailed, context-aware results.
Developers are buzzing about improvements to Gemini's vibe coding capabilities.
Gemini 3 is also touting accuracy gains. As Business Insider's Hugh Langley reported, the company shared new benchmark results showing Gemini 3 scored 37.5% without access to other tools on Humanity's Last Exam, a 2,500-question test covering math, science, history, and reasoning. Google's head of product, Tulsee Doshi, described the results as evidence that Gemini 3 solves math and science problems "with a very high degree of reliability."
In the same Humanity's Last Exam without access to other tools, GPT-5.1 scored 26.5%.
Mayank Kejriwal, a principal scientist at the USC Information Sciences Institute who leads the artificial intelligence and complex systems group, told Business Insider that Gemini 3 marks the biggest leap in large language models this year. Other models only saw "incremental updates."
Kejriwal also pointed to the LMArena leaderboard, where users ask questions and rate responses without knowing which AI chatbot they are engaging with. Gemini 3 is leading in overall score, while ChatGPT-5.1 ranks third, about 300 points behind.
"With Gemini 3, it seems like it is processing text, video, audio, and code in a unified manner," Kejriwal said. "So it's almost like we as humans, we're unified, and your one brain can do all of these different things at the same time, and that's the artificial general intelligence vision — that you're able to do all of these things under one umbrella."
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