The CEOs of __[Google](https://hackernoon.com/company/google)__ and __[Microsoft](https://hackernoon.com/company/microsoft)__ are locked in a __[dance](https://fortune.com/2023/02/10/microsoft-ai-search-bing-compete-google-satya-nadella-made-them-dance/)__, though only one of them seems to have taken their dancing lessons seriously.

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Microsoft's Satya Nadella may have pulled the rug from underneath Google's Sundar Pichai by investing in a promising artificial intelligence startup early and integrating the resulting product (ChatGPT) with its search-engine Bing, but his winning streak doesn't seem to end there, because now, Google is causing the __[downfall](https://hackernoon.com/microsofts-collaboration-with-chatgpt-could-spell-trouble-for-googles-dominance)__ of.. Google.

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 ![](https://cdn.hackernoon.com/images/2jqChkrv03exBUgkLrDzIbfM99q2-2023-02-14T13:08:21.737Z-cle49fgx6000j0as62yh8emjn)

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Having declared the launch of ChatGPT as a "__[code red](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2023/02/12/code-red-google-microsofts-chatgpt-appears-beating-bard-ai-chatbot/)__" event that threatened the company's survival, Google engineers were hard at work to create their own version of the popular chatbot that could compete with ChatGPT. Hyping its release, Google finally gave the world at large the first glimpse of its chatbot Bard this past week, and.. it was bad. Really bad.

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Far from the finesse ChatGPT has demonstrated so far, Google's Bard not only __[fumbled](https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-ai-chatbot-bard-offers-inaccurate-information-company-ad-2023-02-08/)__ but caused a panic in investors, wiping $100 billion in Google-parent Alphabet's market value the day it was launched.

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 ![](https://cdn.hackernoon.com/images/2jqChkrv03exBUgkLrDzIbfM99q2-2023-02-14T13:08:21.740Z-cle49fgx8000k0as6c7a5hw6y)

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Journalists were quick to point out that Bard __[responded incorrectly](https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-ai-chatbot-bard-offers-inaccurate-information-company-ad-2023-02-08/)__ to a question in its promotional showcase, giving analysts the cannon fodder they needed to pounce on the company for being woefully slow to react to Microsoft's success.

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As it stands, Bard needs a lot more work before it can come even close to ChatGPT's capabilities, and Google knows as much. "We'll combine external feedback with our own internal testing to make sure Bard's responses meet a high bar for quality, safety and groundedness in real-world information," a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying following the disastrous launch of Bard.

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No ETA on when Google will integrate Bard into its own search engine.

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Google ranked #3 in this week's __[Tech Company Rankings](https://hackernoon.com/companies)__. Its parent Alphabet was ranking in the #50 spot while its competitor Microsoft was trending in the #76 spot.

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***

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:::tip
👋 *You’re reading HackerNoon's Tech Company News Brief, a weekly collection of tech goodness that combines HackerNoon's proprietary data with internet trends to determine which companies are rising and falling in the public consciousness. Subscribe [here](https://hackernoon.com/companies?ref=hackernoon.com) to receive the newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday!*

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***

### **Bob Iger's Return Makes Disney a Little Less Magical ⛈️**

Unconfirmed reports say that Elsa is having a hard time letting it go this past week after Disney announced thousands of layoffs just months after it roped Bob Iger out of retirement.

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 ![](https://cdn.hackernoon.com/images/2jqChkrv03exBUgkLrDzIbfM99q2-2023-02-14T13:08:21.741Z-cle49fgx9000l0as60jqz5cna)

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Nobody expected to see Iger back at the helm of Disney, but so unhappy was the Disney board with his predecessor's work (who was handpicked by Iger and shared his first name), that it decided it wanted the familiar comfort of Bob version 1.0 as opposed to Bob version 1.1.

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"Disney and its incomparable brands and franchises hold a special place in the hearts of so many people around the globe—most especially in the hearts of our employees, whose dedication to this company and its mission is an inspiration," Iger had __[said](https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/the-walt-disney-company-board-of-directors-appoints-robert-a-iger-as-chief-executive-officer/)__ in November, when he returned to the company as its CEO.

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Sadly, employees' dedication did not stop Disney from announcing __[7,000 job cuts](https://hackernoon.com/disneys-subscriber-dip-in-q1-prompts-focus-on-cutting-costs-improving-streaming-content-quality)__ as part of the company's plan to improve profitability. The changes seem to have come, in part, because of pressure from a so-called activist investor who was looking to upend the Disney board, *Game of Thrones* style. Now that Disney has reorganized, the investor is __[no longer interested ](https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/peltz-trian-ends-disney-board-challenge-after-ceo-iger-lays-out-key-changes-2023-02-09/)__in a board seat and is seemingly content with the gains on his investment. \n 

### **Zuck is About to Get a Whole Lot (More) Unpopular**:hankey:

.. at least within Meta offices.

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According to __[media reports](https://www.ft.com/content/3f3c3fe7-fedd-4fcd-a3d9-6ce44fe56e08)__, __[Meta](https://hackernoon.com/company/meta)__ — the owner of __[Facebook](https://hackernoon.com/company/facebook)__, __[Whatsapp](https://hackernoon.com/company/whatsapp)__, and __[Instagram](https://hackernoon.com/company/instagram)__ (among others) — is planning another round of layoffs around March as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's vision to __[simplify](https://hackernoon.com/meta-aims-to-focus-on-ai-ads-and-reels-in-2023-after-near-$14b-loss-in-reality-labs-in-2022?ref=hackernoon.com)__ organization structure and become more efficient as a whole. The layoffs would be on top of the 11,000 Meta fired __[last year](https://hackernoon.com/the-billionaires-fcked-up?ref=hackernoon.com)__.

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Meanwhile, a separate report has __[highlighted](https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/10/amazon-is-the-latest-threat-to-facebook-as-ad-targeting-suffers.html)__ how __[Amazon](https://hackernoon.com/company/amazon)__ is clawing away at Facebook's digital ads business. Either way, Meta is either going to exist a decade from now, or become the next Yahoo!

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Facebook ranked #20, Meta was at #83, Instagram was #1, and Amazon was trending on the #33 spot.

### **In Other News.. 📰**

* ChatGPT has been __[jailbroken](https://kotaku.com/chatgpt-ai-openai-dan-censorship-chatbot-reddit-1850088408)__. Also, the chatbot is in __[high demand](https://www.reuters.com/technology/chatgpt-frenzy-sweeps-china-firms-scramble-home-grown-options-2023-02-10/)__ in China.
* Layoffs are bad, right? Well.. __[not](https://www.reuters.com/technology/silicon-valley-layoffs-are-boon-tech-hungry-farm-equipment-makers-2023-02-13/)__ for big agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers looking to modernize themselves.
* A new HackerNoon report looks at the __[direction tech giants are taking](https://hackernoon.com/tech-giants-bets-on-innovation-emerging-tech-for-thriving-in-a-challenging-economy)__ to survive during the onslaught of a possible recession.
* __[Uber](https://hackernoon.com/company/ubertechnologiesinc)__ went __[up](https://hackernoon.com/ubers-q4-results-show-positive-traction-in-ridesharing-delivery-and-advertising)__. __[Lyft](https://hackernoon.com/company/lyft)__ went __[down](https://www.reuters.com/technology/lyft-falls-forecast-exacerbates-worries-falling-behind-uber-2023-02-10/)__.


***

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See y'all next week. PEACE! ☮️

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