Race to $6 trillion: Nvidia’s lead shrinks as Google gains ground – Storyboard18

ADVERTISEMENT
Google is rapidly closing the gap with Nvidia in the race to become the world’s most valuable publicly listed company, potentially overtaking the AI chipmaker within weeks, according to a report by Barron's.
Google’s market capitalisation has climbed to approximately $4.65 trillion after its shares surged more than 140 per cent over the past year, marking a sharp acceleration compared to gains recorded over the previous four years.
The company has added more than $2.6 trillion in value over the past year alone, including nearly $900 billion since January, with its stock recently trading at $381.80 per share, reflecting a marginal dip of 0.04 per cent.
Nvidia currently retains its position as the world’s most valuable company, with a market capitalisation of around $4.85 trillion. The chipmaker crossed the $5 trillion milestone for the first time in October last year and reached a peak valuation of $5.27 trillion on 27 April.
However, Nvidia’s share price has remained largely flat over the past six months, while Google has recorded gains of more than 36 per cent during the same period. Based on recent trading momentum, the gap between the two companies could narrow significantly by the time Nvidia reports its first-quarter earnings on 20 May.
Barron’s analysis indicated that Nvidia’s average daily gain last month stood at around 0.66 per cent, compared to 1.42 per cent for Google. If these trends persist, Nvidia’s lead could shrink to as little as $190 million by the time of its earnings update.
Nvidia’s shares were last trading at $199.99, up 0.2 per cent, taking its valuation slightly above $4.86 trillion.
Google’s resurgence has been driven by its expanding integration of artificial intelligence across its core businesses, including search, YouTube and cloud computing. The company has invested $144 billion in capital expenditure over the past two years and has earmarked a further $490 billion for the next two years.
According to Barron’s, Google Cloud reported an order backlog of nearly $220 billion in the most recent quarter, reaching a record $462 billion. Approximately half of this backlog is expected to be realised within the next two years, supported in part by the company’s entry into the chip sales market.
The last time Google topped the S&P 500 market capitalisation rankings was in February 2016, when it briefly overtook Apple following stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. The lead lasted only two days before Apple regained the top position on 3 February.
The intensifying competition between Nvidia and Google underscores the growing importance of artificial intelligence in driving market valuations, with both companies investing heavily to secure leadership in the sector.
ADVERTISEMENT
As the creator economy explodes, influencer marketing agencies are emerging as the real power brokers reshaping how corporate India spends its advertising money.
ADVERTISEMENT
Storyboard18 Awards for Creativity 2026 honoured campaigns that blended storytelling, cultural relevance and measurable impact across platforms.
ADVERTISEMENT
Brand Marketing
Storyboard18 Creativity Awards 2026: Swiggy, Nestlé, HDFC, Flipkart, Puma, Lahori Zeera take center stage
Brand Makers
Key takeaways from Global Pioneers Summit 2026: Why trust, storytelling and attention will define India’s next decade
Brand Makers
From Flipkart to Swiggy, winners of Storyboard18 Awards 2026: See photos (Part 1)
Brand Makers
Storyboard18 Awards 2026 winners in pics: Fevicol, KitKat, Swiggy (Part 2)
Special Coverage
SAC 2026: Why Piyush Pandey remains the North Star for India’s evolving creative landscape
Digital
From nostalgia to virality: ChatGPT’s younger self trend takes over Instagram
Digital
Google Photos to get AI wardrobe and virtual try-on feature
Digital
OpenAI says India is biggest market for ChatGPT Images 2.0, outlines key trends
Digital
Meta Platforms acquires robotics startup as 8,000 job cuts loom amid AI push
Digital
Apple Support app update accidentally exposes internal Claude instruction files

source