Google Abandoned ChatGPT-Like LMChat Year Early Due To Cannibalization Fears

OpenAI lead reveals Google DeepMind shelved LMChat, a ChatGPT-equivalent developed a year prior, citing fears of cannibalizing existing search business.

Woofun AI reports that Tibo Sottiaux, OpenAI's Product Lead, developed an internal chatbot named LMChat at Google DeepMind approximately one year before the public release of ChatGPT. The project featured functionality nearly identical to the eventual market leader but was never launched by Google. Sottiaux stated that leadership decided against releasing LMChat due to concerns it would cannibalize existing business lines, preventing DeepMind from deploying a product perceived as a threat to Google's core operations.