What's striking is how much long-term leverage Google has by controlling its hardware stack. An 80% cost edge isn't just about short-term pricing — it compounds over time into faster iteration, more experimentation, and the ability to undercut competitors when needed.
Meanwhile, OpenAI is betting that ecosystem lock-in (via agents, tooling, and user workflows) will outweigh pure cost efficiency. It feels a bit like early iOS vs Android: closed ecosystem polish vs open interoperability.
The wildcard is how quickly OpenAI can develop its own silicon or renegotiate better terms. Otherwise, Google's advantage might not just be hardware — it could become cultural too (faster, cheaper, wider innovation cycles).
What's striking is how much long-term leverage Google has by controlling its hardware stack. An 80% cost edge isn't just about short-term pricing — it compounds over time into faster iteration, more experimentation, and the ability to undercut competitors when needed.
Meanwhile, OpenAI is betting that ecosystem lock-in (via agents, tooling, and user workflows) will outweigh pure cost efficiency. It feels a bit like early iOS vs Android: closed ecosystem polish vs open interoperability.
The wildcard is how quickly OpenAI can develop its own silicon or renegotiate better terms. Otherwise, Google's advantage might not just be hardware — it could become cultural too (faster, cheaper, wider innovation cycles).