Google co-founder Sergey Brin, 52, has become the world’s third richest person. According to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List, Brin’s net worth grew by $4.9 billion to $255.6 billion, ranking him behind another Google co-founder Larry Page and Tesla’s Elon Musk with $277 billion and $725.3 billion, respectively. With this, Brin has surpassed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Oracle’s Larry Ellison with a net worth of $253.2 billion and $251.3 billion, respectively. The jump came after Google-parent Alphabet became the fourth company with a market value of $4 trillion this week, joining Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple to reach the milestone.
How Apple may be the reason behind Srgey Brin’s rise to world third richest person
Earlier this week, iPhone maker Apple announced a partnership with Google to use the tech giant’s Gemini for the foundation of its AI models and the next generation of Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant and chatbot. Following the announcement, Alphabet’s stock grew by 1.3% to just over $337 billion on Tuesday, January 13.As per Forbes report, Alphabet’s stock grew by 65% in 2025 alone – its largest single-year jump since 2009, when shares increased by nearly 93%. The surge was mainly driven by Google’s rise in AI. Last year, the company released multiple Gemini models with the latest iteration – Gemini 3 debuting in November. In 2025, the company also unveiled Ironwood, the seventh generation of its AI chips amid growing competition with Nvidia.
Apple and Google’s joint statement’ on Gemini deal
Announcing the Gemini deal, Apple and Google issued a joint statement that read: “Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google’s Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalised Siri coming this year.After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google’s AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple’s industry-leading privacy standards.”
