OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has issued a dramatic “code red” directive inside the company, demanding an immediate surge of resources to improve ChatGPT. According to insiders, Altman circulated an internal memo instructing teams to prioritize the chatbot above all ongoing projects. The move signals an aggressive strategic pivot at a time when the global AI race is intensifying. Several initiatives, including autonomous AI agents and advertising efforts, have been temporarily deprioritized.

The urgency reportedly stems from Google’s rapid progress in the AI arena, particularly following the recent launch of Gemini 3. The model drew widespread praise for its advanced reasoning, coding abilities, and strong performance in specialized tasks. Analysts suggest Altman’s memo reflects mounting pressure to ensure OpenAI remains a top performer in an increasingly competitive market. While specific fixes were not publicly disclosed, the directive highlights a clear need for accelerated innovation.

OpenAI has declined to comment on Altman's memo, but internal leaders have confirmed a renewed focus on ChatGPT. Nick Turley, head of ChatGPT, emphasized on X that the company is committed to making the chatbot “more capable, more intuitive, and more personal.” Employees across departments are now being reassigned to join cross-functional teams working on the platform. This includes staff previously focused on advertising, AI agents, and shopping features.

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Reports also indicate that Altman plans to hold daily calls with the teams responsible for the upgrades, underscoring the urgency of the initiative. In a Slack communication, Altman reportedly expressed his desire for ChatGPT to offer more personalized user experiences. He also emphasized improvements in AI behavior and image-generation abilities, suggesting enhancements to model safety and creativity. Meanwhile, a new internal AI model, code-named “Garlic,” is said to be showing strong performance in reasoning and coding tasks.

The backdrop to this urgency is rising competition in the consumer and enterprise AI market. Google recently announced that its Gemini app has amassed 650 million users, while OpenAI reported 800 million weekly ChatGPT users. Download data also reflects the heated rivalry, with ChatGPT maintaining an edge over Gemini in monthly installations. As the market continues to grow, companies are vying to dominate both personal and professional use cases.

Rival AI company Anthropic has also escalated the competition by releasing a new model optimized for coding and office automation. The move further increases pressure on OpenAI to retain enterprise clients and consumer loyalty. With Altman’s “code red” directive now in motion, the next phase of the chatbot’s evolution is expected to roll out rapidly. Industry observers say the coming months may redefine the power dynamics of the global AI sector.

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