Podcast Summary: Gemini Won 2025... yet ChatGPT's Still Winning the War

Podcast: AI-Driven Marketer: Master Practical AI Marketing Skills
Host: Dan Sanchez (A), Co-host: Travis Sanchez (B)
Date: December 19, 2025

Overview

This end-of-year episode unpacks the escalating rivalry between Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT over 2025, particularly for marketers using AI-powered tools. Hosts Dan and Travis Sanchez discuss major feature releases, compare the strengths and weaknesses of each platform across use cases, and reflect on their personal experiences and workflows. The central theme: while Gemini took significant strides in features and capability—arguably “winning 2025”—ChatGPT’s personalization keeps it indispensable for many marketers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2025: A Year of Fierce AI Competition for Marketers

• Opening Scene & Stakes:
  • Dan notes this was the year Google "finally woke up," landing significant blows in the AI competition. Marketers of all stripes are now challenged to navigate a rapidly shifting landscape.
    • "[Google] started taking some heavy swings this year… In a lot of ways it’s gotten better than ChatGPT. So what are marketers supposed to do?" (A - 00:09)

2. Latest Product Updates: ChatGPT vs Gemini/Gemini Nano Banana

• ChatGPT 5.2 Model and Disney Sora Announcement:

  • ChatGPT released the 5.2 model, creating buzz by allowing upcoming use of Disney characters in the Sora video engine.
  • Updated their image model (now v1.5), aiming to match or surpass Gemini’s Nano Banana.
  • "Those are some pretty good punches." (A - 01:13)

• Image Model Showdown:

  • Dan’s family Christmas card test: ran the same photo through both ChatGPT and Nano Banana, posting results to LinkedIn for feedback.
    • Gemini (Nano Banana) produced more photorealism and handled group likeness better, but looked "too perfect"—almost posed and artificial.
    • ChatGPT handled prompts more intuitively and did better with creative or abstract results but sometimes missed details.
    • "[Gemini] is a little more literal... ChatGPT…it takes some more intuitively figure out what you want." (A - 03:20)
    • "None of the models could come close to [seven faces] six weeks ago...Now the thumbnails are even better." (A - 04:08)

• Design Tools Become Accessible:

  • Marketers and non-designers can orchestrate image and prompt creation, even for complex layouts and branding.
    • Prompt engineering remains essential; specificity yields exponentially better results, especially with ChatGPT.
    • "Now these image tools are more than just image tools. They're essentially full-on design tools, 100%. ...You are now the art director. AI is now the designer." (A - 05:01)
    • "I still have to lean on [AI] sometimes to write the prompt for me... it always does better when it writes the prompt versus me." (B - 07:29)
    • "Nobody likes vague direction. Neither does chat." (A & B, 11:22–11:27)

• Everyday Marketing Examples & Use Cases:

  • AI-generated storefront redesigns, campaign visuals, and one-sheets—often replacing designer hours with 15-minute turnarounds.
    • "I just used ChatGPT…I was literally driving with my kids after getting a car wash…First try, it made nearly exactly what my designer had already created…" (B - 09:02)

3. Google’s Strategic Strikes and Developer Momentum

• Lightning Bolt Teaser & Flash 3.3 Model:

  • Google’s rapid-fire marketing: Announced their latest Flash model immediately after ChatGPT’s model update for maximum buzz. Flash models are cheaper, faster, widely adopted in developer APIs.
    • "Flash 3 is so good that it’s just a step behind all the frontier thinking models. And this is their fast, cheap model..." (A - 12:20)

• Prediction: 2026 Will Be the Year of "Vibe Coding" for Marketers

  • Dan forecasts a surge in marketers building mini-apps (without heavy coding knowledge), powered by Google's rapid, affordable models and platforms like Replit.
  • Envisions content repurposing (e.g., blog posts for different audience segments) becoming automated via custom-built workflows.
    • "We’re just going to build it ourselves…it’s possible." (A - 14:33)

4. Who Really “Won” 2025?

• Google's AI: Gaining Serious Ground

  • Google delivered “punch after punch” in 2025: video, voice, image (Nano Banana Pro), ecosystem integration (esp. Google Sheets).
    • "Google definitely won the battle in 2025, but ChatGPT is still ahead in the war." (A - 23:54)
    • "The margin between them is definitely smaller than last year." (A - 23:56)

• Gemini’s Acceleration: From Underdog to Serious Player

  • This time last year, Gemini was still a joke among power users; by spring, public sentiment shifted as Gemini matched/caught up in core capabilities.
    • "When was it last where we were going, ‘Oh cute, Gemini, cute’...and then all of a sudden, spring..." (B - 18:18)
    • "I remember specifically saying on this show…who uses Gemini?" (A - 18:45)

5. Why ChatGPT Is Still “Winning the War”

• Personalization & Contextual Memory: Game-Changing Feature

  • ChatGPT’s ability to remember prior instructions and tailor responses to each user (“custom instructions,” consistent memory, conversation pullback) is unmatched—even as Gemini wins on technical benchmarks and raw power.
    • "The reason why I think ChatGPT is still winning the game… is its personalization." (A - 20:57)
    • "Same—Gemini doesn’t even have a field in it that lets you give it custom instructions…no instruction sets, no memory, it can’t reference past chat." (A - 21:06)
    • "It’s just like having a teammate…Over time you work better and faster with them because you’ve gelled more..." (A - 21:55)

• Analogy: Android vs. iPhone

  • Gemini compared to Android (“more powerful, but less intuitive”), ChatGPT to iPhone (“more intuitive and easy to use and nicer”).
    • "That’s how OpenAI and Gemini feel to me." (A - 22:36)

• Workflows: Still ChatGPT-First, Gemini as Supplement

  • Both hosts heavily prefer ChatGPT for most tasks, with Gemini/Nano Banana as the fallback for certain image or research workflows.
    • "I’m probably going to be like 70 ChatGPT, 30 Gemini." (A - 20:33)
    • "I'm like 90/10." (B - 22:53)

6. Notable Stats & Community Consensus

• Listener Poll: Which AI Company Won in 2025? (30:00)

  • Anthropic/Claude: 16%
  • Google/Gemini: 48%
  • XAi/Grok: 2%
  • OpenAI/ChatGPT: 34%
    • *"Pretty strong consensus that Google had won the year…" (A - 30:32)

• Claude Mention:

  • Appreciated for coding and writing; useful for book projects, but not a paid staple for either host.

7. Side-by-Side Image Comparison: ChatGPT vs Gemini Nano Banana Pro (32:21)

• Flavio Adamo’s viral post—highly detailed Times Square New Year’s Eve prompt:

  • Gemini: Superior realism, especially reflections, but inaccurate cityscape/geography.
  • ChatGPT: More painterly, accurate layout, confetti visible, felt more "like Times Square on NYE."
  • "One looks more realistic, the other looks more idealistic… Gemini did a better job with realism…ChatGPT nailed what Times Square looks like." (A & B, 32:31–34:11)

• Image Speed Observations:

  • Gemini significantly faster (“20 seconds”) vs previous ChatGPT delays (“5 minutes”). Recent speed improvements noted for ChatGPT, now allows multiple images queued.
  • "At least it’s four times faster than it was…It’s still slower than Nano Banana, but at least..." (A - 36:09)

8. Everyday AI: Real-World Automations & Uses (25:11)

• 15-minute one-sheet campaign creation via ChatGPT while running errands, freeing up busy designers.
• Using ChatGPT as a "CliffsNotes" companion to unpack complex books or discuss philosophical texts.
• Gemini/Nano Banana for creative event games and lists (e.g., Christmas song challenge), revealing model quirks and creativity.
• AI as a tool for “finding things you don’t know how to describe or can’t remember the name of"—outperforming search.

9. Closing Reflections: The Ongoing Battle Benefits Marketers

• Competition keeps prices down and features moving fast; consolidation is a concern if any one player pulls too far ahead.
  • "The more these guys compete, the better everything gets for us." (A - 36:50)
  • "May they all continue to win and us continue to win even more from their competition." (A - 37:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Now these image tools are more than just image tools. They're essentially full-on design tools, 100%..." (A - 05:01)
• "Nobody likes vague direction. Neither does chat." (A & B, 11:22–11:27)
• "If I had to choose between ChatGPT and Gemini right now…I’m still committed to ChatGPT." (A - 20:26)
• "The reason why I think ChatGPT is still winning the game…is its personalization." (A - 20:57)
• "Gemini’s got some work to do here. I think they used to say content is king. I’m thinking now context is king for the next two years." (A - 23:14)
• "Google definitely won the battle in 2025, but Chad GPT is still ahead in the war." (A - 23:54)
• "Hopefully nobody and everybody. Because the more these guys compete, the better everything gets for us." (Listener comment, echoed by A & B - 36:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – Introduction; Setting the 2025 scene, who’s listening
• 01:10 – ChatGPT & Gemini: Model updates & Sora/Disney feature
• 02:50 – 04:40 – Direct image model comparison with family photo; advances in likeness and group photo handling
• 05:00 – 07:50 – Design workflows: Prompt engineering, real-world marketing applications
• 12:00 – Google Flash 3 release and prediction: “vibe coding” for marketers
• 17:10 – Declaring the year’s winner; Google’s comeback story
• 20:26 – 23:00 – Why personalization and memory tip the scales for ChatGPT
• 30:00 – 31:30 – Listener poll on AI leaders for 2025; Claude & Perplexity mentions
• 32:21 – 35:20 – Viral post: Times Square image challenge dissected
• 36:42 – End – Reflections on the AI arms race and why competition is a win for marketers

Overall

If you missed this episode, you now have a full sense of the landscape: Google’s Gemini had a breakout year, overtaking ChatGPT in several technical categories, but personalization and intuitive workflows keep ChatGPT the essential, go-to solution for marketers. The AI wars are far from over—consumers and marketers will continue reaping the rewards as the giants duel on price, features, and usability.