AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetimes, says Pichai

NEW DELHI: Recounting a recent ride in a fully autonomous Waymo vehicle in San Francisco with his 83-year-old father, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the real test of progress is when such systems can operate on India's roads. "Back in my days in India, I couldn't have imagined that one day I would spend time with teams building data centres in space... Seeing a Waymo ride past my dad's house, I saw whole new progress. Of course, he said he'd be more impressed if it worked on India's busy roads. Still working on that one, Dad," he shared. The anecdote framed a broader point - AI advanced rapidly, but its benefits must be made accessible across diverse and complex markets. Pichai reiterated Google's $15 billion investment to establish a full-stack AI hub and expand digital infrastructure in the country. The initiative forms part of a wider connectivity push linking India deeply into global data networks. Describing AI as "the biggest platform shift of our lifetimes," Pichai said the technology is enabling breakthroughs in science and healthcare. Pichai acknowledged that AI will reshape the workforce, automating some tasks and creating new categories of jobs.