Google's founders just made the riskiest comeback in history. After...
Baptiste@BaptisteVicini
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Jan 11, 2025
~4 min read
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Google's founders just made the riskiest comeback in history.
After walking away from their $2.4 TRILLION empire in 2019...
An AI breakthrough is now threatening to destroy everything they built.
Here's why their heroic return might be a little too late: 🧵
After walking away from their $2.4 TRILLION empire in 2019...
An AI breakthrough is now threatening to destroy everything they built.
Here's why their heroic return might be a little too late: 🧵
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In 2004, Larry Page and Sergey Brin built a company that looked unstoppable.
And after 15 years of running operations, they walked away.
But now? They've made a sudden move to return.
And it started with a warning from inside Google's headquarters:
And after 15 years of running operations, they walked away.
But now? They've made a sudden move to return.
And it started with a warning from inside Google's headquarters:
1:03
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"Code Red" flashed across internal memos.
A new technology threatened to destroy everything they'd built.
And for the first time in Google's history, the founders were genuinely scared...
A new technology threatened to destroy everything they'd built.
And for the first time in Google's history, the founders were genuinely scared...
0:49
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See, Google wasn't just a company to Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
It was their life's work.
They'd spent over two decades building the world's most powerful search engine.
But in late 2022, something happened that changed everything:
It was their life's work.
They'd spent over two decades building the world's most powerful search engine.
But in late 2022, something happened that changed everything:
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OpenAI released ChatGPT.
It quickly became the fastest-growing consumer app in history.
For the first time ever, people could have human-like conversations with AI.
And this posed an existential threat to Google's entire business model:
It quickly became the fastest-growing consumer app in history.
For the first time ever, people could have human-like conversations with AI.
And this posed an existential threat to Google's entire business model:
1:29
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Think about it:
Why would anyone use Google to search through pages of results...
When they could just ask ChatGPT and get an immediate answer?
Microsoft saw the opportunity and pounced:
Why would anyone use Google to search through pages of results...
When they could just ask ChatGPT and get an immediate answer?
Microsoft saw the opportunity and pounced:
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They invested billions into OpenAI.
Then integrated ChatGPT into Bing search.
Google's leadership knew they had to act fast.
That's when Sundar Pichai brought in reinforcements:
Then integrated ChatGPT into Bing search.
Google's leadership knew they had to act fast.
That's when Sundar Pichai brought in reinforcements:
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He brought Larry and Sergey back into strategic meetings.
The founders hadn't been involved in day-to-day operations since 2019.
But this was different.
Google needed its original innovators back:
The founders hadn't been involved in day-to-day operations since 2019.
But this was different.
Google needed its original innovators back:
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Sergey's response was unprecedented:
He started working 3-4 days a week at Google's offices.
He even stayed until 1 AM some nights, personally fixing code.
But the most shocking part?
He started working 3-4 days a week at Google's offices.
He even stayed until 1 AM some nights, personally fixing code.
But the most shocking part?
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He became a core contributor to Google's most ambitious project ever:
Project Gemini.
Their answer to ChatGPT.
But there was just one problem...
Project Gemini.
Their answer to ChatGPT.
But there was just one problem...
1:00
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While Google was still building Gemini...
Microsoft and OpenAI weren't standing still.
They kept advancing their AI capabilities.
The race was heating up. And then:
Microsoft and OpenAI weren't standing still.
They kept advancing their AI capabilities.
The race was heating up. And then:
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A breakthrough.
Late one night, Sergey fixed a critical numerics bug in Gemini's code.
The kind of technical problem that had been stumping Google's best engineers.
The founders' touch was working. But was it enough?
Late one night, Sergey fixed a critical numerics bug in Gemini's code.
The kind of technical problem that had been stumping Google's best engineers.
The founders' touch was working. But was it enough?
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Google finally released Gemini in December 2023.
It was their most advanced AI model yet.
But here's what most people missed:
It was their most advanced AI model yet.
But here's what most people missed:
1:40
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The founders weren't just back to save Google.
They were back because they saw something bigger:
AI wasn't just threatening Google's search business...
It was about to change the entire internet. And they had a plan:
They were back because they saw something bigger:
AI wasn't just threatening Google's search business...
It was about to change the entire internet. And they had a plan:
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Project Astra: A universal AI assistant aiming to reach 500M users by 2025.
Project Mariner: AI-powered Chrome extensions that could revolutionize browsing.
Jules: An AI coding assistant for trusted testers.
But there's a catch:
Project Mariner: AI-powered Chrome extensions that could revolutionize browsing.
Jules: An AI coding assistant for trusted testers.
But there's a catch:
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The future of tech isn't just about AI or automation.
It's about understanding how these tools reshape entire industries.
And there's one pattern I've noticed after a decade in this space:
It's about understanding how these tools reshape entire industries.
And there's one pattern I've noticed after a decade in this space:
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The next wave of disruption isn't coming from AI alone.
It's coming from companies that understand how to connect everything:
• Their systems
• Their data
• Their operations
Through APIs, they're building digital empires while others play catch-up.
It's coming from companies that understand how to connect everything:
• Their systems
• Their data
• Their operations
Through APIs, they're building digital empires while others play catch-up.
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This is why Google's founders rushed back.
They saw what we've been teaching Fortune 100 companies for years:
The future belongs to those who can orchestrate technology, not just use it.
And right now, that future is being written.
They saw what we've been teaching Fortune 100 companies for years:
The future belongs to those who can orchestrate technology, not just use it.
And right now, that future is being written.
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This is exactly why @APIdaysGlobal was created:
The world’s leading conference series on APIs and automation.
Where top tech companies like @Stripe, @Twilio, & @GoogleCloudTech share real transformations and frameworks that shape our future.
Here's what makes it a can't miss:
The world’s leading conference series on APIs and automation.
Where top tech companies like @Stripe, @Twilio, & @GoogleCloudTech share real transformations and frameworks that shape our future.
Here's what makes it a can't miss:
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At APIdays, you'll discover:
• Frameworks to future-proof your tech strategy
• How top companies build billion-dollar API ecosystems
• Direct access to 300K+ innovators transforming the digital economy
Ready to create the future...?
• Frameworks to future-proof your tech strategy
• How top companies build billion-dollar API ecosystems
• Direct access to 300K+ innovators transforming the digital economy
Ready to create the future...?
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@APIDaysGlobal is leading the charge...
And now's the time to get involved!
🚀 Sponsors: Showcase your brand to a global audience
🎙️ Speakers: Share insights that shape industries
DM me “API” to discuss upcoming opportunities: 👇
x.com/messages/compo…]
And now's the time to get involved!
🚀 Sponsors: Showcase your brand to a global audience
🎙️ Speakers: Share insights that shape industries
DM me “API” to discuss upcoming opportunities: 👇
x.com/messages/compo…]
22
Want more on becoming the future of tech? ⏩
• Join our 300K+ community apidays.typeform.com/to/i1MPEW
• Follow @BaptisteVicini for more on APIs, tech, and the future of AI.
• Repost for your network if you found it helpful! ♻️
The future's connected. 🌐
Become part of it...
• Join our 300K+ community apidays.typeform.com/to/i1MPEW
• Follow @BaptisteVicini for more on APIs, tech, and the future of AI.
• Repost for your network if you found it helpful! ♻️
The future's connected. 🌐
Become part of it...
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I am Baptiste Parravicini:
• Tech entrepreneur & API visionary
• Co-founder of apidays, world's leading API conference
• Passionate about AI integration & tech for the greater good
Follow for insights on how APIs are connecting our future
Repost for your network 🔄:
• Tech entrepreneur & API visionary
• Co-founder of apidays, world's leading API conference
• Passionate about AI integration & tech for the greater good
Follow for insights on how APIs are connecting our future
Repost for your network 🔄:
Baptiste@BaptisteVicini
Google's founders just made the riskiest comeback in history.
After walking away from their $2.4 TRILLION empire in 2019...
An AI breakthrough is now threatening to destroy everything they built.
Here's why their heroic return might be a little too late: 🧵
After walking away from their $2.4 TRILLION empire in 2019...
An AI breakthrough is now threatening to destroy everything they built.
Here's why their heroic return might be a little too late: 🧵