It seems Google may have taken note of Sam Altman’s playful critique about their event "aesthetic."

The OpenAI CEO made a subtle jab at the vibe of Google’s I/O event back in May, and it appears the tech giant decided to revamp its staging for this week’s Made By Google event.

Typically, Google’s events are marked by bright lights and a vibrant array of colors, reflecting the company’s bold, dynamic image. But this time, Google seemed to draw inspiration from OpenAI.

The Made By Google keynote stage had a distinctly different feel, with warmer tones, a light wood setup, and some greenery sprinkled in. The lighting was softer, creating a more relaxed atmosphere.

Altman’s comment on Google’s event "aesthetic" may have played a role in this shift.

The stage at the Made By Google Pixel event was notably more understated, featuring dim lighting and a minimalist design with wood accents.

This aesthetic shift is a stark contrast to the more flamboyant design seen at Google I/O and last year’s Made By Google event.

Of course, it’s possible the resemblance is coincidental — after all, OpenAI isn’t the first to embrace a mid-century modern vibe with wood and vertical slats (just think of your favorite podcaster’s backdrop).

But the timing is interesting. Altman’s tweet in May, where he noted the “aesthetic difference” between OpenAI and Google, included a screenshot comparing the two companies’ events, which took place just days apart.

Google I/O was a bright, bustling affair with fake windows, clouds, and broad stripes of rainbow colors echoing Google’s logo. The event even featured a performance by electronic musician Marc Rebillet to kick things off.

It’s worth noting that Google I/O is a massive tech conference that attracts a huge crowd of Android developers and media. In contrast, Made By Google is a more focused event, though still significant.

Last year’s Made By Google event had a stage dominated by shades of blue and grey.

This year, the event’s highlights included the Pixel 9 series, with four new models, including a foldable phone. Google also unveiled new AI-powered tools like Pixel Screenshot and Gemini, designed to simplify tasks. The Pixel Watch 3, with a larger size and enhanced fitness tracking, was also showcased.

Whether or not Google’s aesthetic overhaul was influenced by Altman’s tweet remains unclear (we’ve reached out to Google and OpenAI for comment).

But the new look at this year’s event was undeniably warmer, more welcoming, and still managed to subtly incorporate Google’s classic colors.

Whatever the inspiration, the result was impressive — whether or not a rival gave them a gentle nudge in this direction.

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