OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has declared a "code red" for the company as a response to the rapid rise of Google’s Gemini 3 model, which gained 200 million users within three months of its launch. This internal alert means that OpenAI will pause its advertising plans and other product developments to focus on improving ChatGPT. Altman emphasized the urgency in a leaked memo, indicating that the company is at a crucial juncture for its flagship chatbot. To address these challenges, he has suggested temporary team transfers and initiated daily calls for employees working on ChatGPT enhancements. The situation mirrors a similar moment in December 2022 when Google reacted to ChatGPT's explosive popularity by declaring its own "code red." Back then, Google CEO Sundar Pichai redirected teams to develop AI solutions to compete against OpenAI. Fast forward to now, and the dynamics have shifted significantly. Gemini 3, released in mid-November, has quickly surpassed ChatGPT in certain benchmark tests and topped the LMArena leaderboard, a platform that lets users compare AI models based on their outputs. The launch has drawn mixed reactions, with some praising its capabilities while others hype it up excessively. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, a long-time ChatGPT user, announced his switch to Gemini 3, describing the improvement as "insane." This shift highlights how competition in the AI space is intensifying, with both companies scrambling to capture user interest and market share.