Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, speaking at Bloomberg’s Tech conference in San Francisco, weighed in on what type of leader would likely succeed him at Google. Not naming anyone as the likely successor, he signaled what attributes the next CEO must have.
Pichai emphasized the high social obligation involved in running Google and said the next CEO will need to keep emphasizing building technology that benefits humans. “Whoever is at the helm will have an extraordinary AI assistant,” he said, referencing the growing role artificial intelligence will have in guiding leadership and making key decisions in the future.
No Plans to Resign
Pichai, who has led Google for more than a decade, has not indicated any near-future exit. But his remarks gave a sense of how he sees the company change and what kind of leadership it will require in the age of artificial intelligence.
Answering criticisms about AI taking human jobs, Pichai ruled out doomsday scenarios. Rather, he highlighted its ability to improve efficiency. “I just see this as making engineers much more productive, removing a lot of the mundane stuff from what they do,” he said.
He also mentioned that Google will continue to hire engineers at least through 2026, which underlies the belief of the company in human capability apart from technological innovation.
Pichai on His Indian Roots
On his recent guest appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Pichai delivered a personal account of his life in India, offering a glimpse of his humble origin. He reminisced about growing up in Madras (present-day Chennai) during an era when his family did not have access to simple necessities.
“Nobody had running water. You understand, there was a huge drought. So they would haul water in these trucks, possibly eight buckets for a family. So me and my brother, every now and then my mom, we would stand in line, get that,” he said.
These experiences, he said, influenced his outlook and made him believe more strongly that technology must be focused on solving real-world issues and enriching lives.
