- Friday, June 06, 2025
In a subtle but sharp comeback, Google CEO Sundar Pichai jokingly referenced Satya Nadella’s 2023 “dance” comment during a podcast, adding a humorous twist to the ongoing AI rivalry between Google and Microsoft.
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Google CEO Sundar Pichai has reignited a playful rivalry with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during a recent appearance on the All-In Podcast, giving a subtle yet sharp response to Nadella’s past comment about making Google “dance” amid the AI arms race.
In the 2023 AI boom, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella had confidently stated that his company’s innovations would force Google to “dance” — a bold remark made during the launch of Bing’s AI-powered search. The comment became a symbolic jab in the growing competition between Microsoft and Google in the artificial intelligence space.
Fast forward to 2025, Pichai finally addressed the comment—without directly naming names. While speaking with entrepreneur and host David Friedberg, Pichai was asked to weigh in on his main competitors in the AI world: Sam Altman of OpenAI, Elon Musk of xAI, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, and Satya Nadella of Microsoft.
Pichai remained diplomatic, praising the innovation and leadership of all four tech giants. “Obviously, by definition, it’s a very impressive group. I think you’re talking about some of the best companies, some of the best entrepreneurs. It shows how much progress we are going to see,” he said.
But before moving on, Pichai added a cheeky remark: “I think maybe only one of them has invited me to a dance, not the others.”
The offhand comment left host Friedberg momentarily puzzled before the Google chief moved on to speak about his conversations with Elon Musk and the broader AI landscape. While Pichai didn’t name Nadella directly, the comment clearly referenced the Microsoft CEO’s 2023 quip: “I hope that, with our innovation, they will definitely want to come out and show that they can dance. And I want people to know that we made them dance.”
Pichai’s subtle jab was lighthearted but poignant, reflecting the intensifying but respectful rivalry between two of Silicon Valley’s most powerful Indian-American CEOs. It also hints at how far Google has come since those early AI showdowns—especially with its rebranded generative AI chatbot Gemini (formerly Bard), which now competes directly with Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
The rivalry has become symbolic of the wider AI race, with Google, Microsoft, Meta, OpenAI, and xAI all competing to define the future of search, productivity tools, and generative technology. Both Nadella and Pichai have taken very different routes to the top, but their leadership continues to shape the AI era in profound ways.
With witty exchanges and fierce innovation, this battle of tech titans is far from over. And while Pichai may not be dancing to Microsoft’s tune, he’s certainly keeping pace with his own confident rhythm in the AI race.
