NEW DELHI: AI will undoubtedly reshape the workforce—automating some roles, evolving others, and creating entirely new careers, said Google CEO Sundar Pichai, on Thursday.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, Pichai noted that twenty years ago, the idea of a professional YouTube creator did not exist. Today, there are millions around the world. According to him, this makes training crucial.
“We have trained 100 million people in digital skills, and our new Google AI Professional Certificate will help people master AI in their jobs. It will be available globally,” said Pichai.
Pichai said AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetimes and that we are on the cusp of rapid progress and new discoveries that can help emerging economies leapfrog legacy gaps. However, he added that no matter how bold or responsible the approach is, AI’s full benefits will not be realised unless stakeholders work together.
He said governments have a vital role to play—not only as regulators setting clear rules and addressing risks, but also as innovators bringing AI into public services and accelerating adoption for people and businesses.
He also said technology companies must step up by building products that boost knowledge, creativity, and productivity to help people achieve their dreams. Businesses of all sizes, he added, must harness AI to innovate, transform their sectors, scale up, and empower workers.
Recalling his student days in India, Pichai said he often took the Coromandel Express from Chennai to IIT Kharagpur, passing through Visakhapatnam, also known as Vizag.
“I remember it as a quiet, modest coastal city brimming with potential. Today, in that very city, Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub as part of our $15 billion infrastructure investment in India,” said Pichai.
He further said that when completed, the hub will house gigawatt-scale compute capacity and a new international subsea cable gateway. It will create jobs and bring cutting-edge AI to people and businesses across India. Sitting on that train years ago, he said, he could never have imagined Vizag becoming a global AI hub.
“It shows what’s possible when humanity dreams big. And no technology has me dreaming bigger than AI,” said Pichai.