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Sundar Pichai Urges Bold AI Approach, Impressed by India's Rapid Change

Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai expressed admiration for the pace of change in India while addressing the India AI Impact Summit 2026. He emphasized the need for a bold approach to artificial intelligence, stating it holds the potential to dramatically improve lives worldwide. Pichai highlighted Google's significant investments in India, including a new AI hub and subsea cable networks to boost connectivity. The summit in New Delhi has gathered global leaders to foster international cooperation on AI development and deployment.

Key Points: Sundar Pichai on AI's Potential and India's Transformation

  • Pichai impressed by India's rapid change
  • AI can improve billions of lives globally
  • Google building US-India subsea cables
  • AI hub part of $15B India investment
  • Summit aims for global AI cooperation
2 min read

Struck by pace of change in India, must approach AI boldly: Sundar Pichai

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, struck by India's pace of change, calls for bold AI adoption to improve billions of lives at the India AI Summit.

"We are on the cusp of hyper-progress and must approach AI boldly, as it can improve the lives of billions. - Sundar Pichai"

New Delhi, Feb 19

Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on Thursday that he is struck by the pace of change in India, and we must approach AI boldly as it can improve billions of lives.

Speaking at the 'India AI Impact Summit 2026' here, Pichai said the company is also building a vast network of subsea fibre optic cables, including four new systems between the US and India, as part of the India-America Connect initiative.

"In India, we are helping farmers protect their livelihoods. The Indian government sent AI-powered forecasts to millions of farmers, alerting them about bad weather last year," he told the gathering.

"We won't realise AI's full benefits unless we work together," Pichai added.

He further stated that we are on the cusp of hyper-progress and must approach AI boldly, as it can improve the lives of billions.

"For 50 years, predicting protein structures was a grand challenge and a blind spot that stalled drug discovery. Today, over three million researchers in 190 countries are using it to develop malaria vaccines," he informed.

Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub in India as part of its $15 billion infrastructure investment.

According to Pichai, Google is infusing artificial intelligence (AI) at all levels in India to improve healthcare, support startups, agriculture and more.

"The country must ensure strong investments go into AI research and into spreading the use of AI across all sectors," he mentioned.

The 'India AI Impact Summit 2026' is underway at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, running from February 16 to 20. The summit has brought together policymakers, industry leaders, academicians, innovators and civil society representatives from across the world.

It aims to provide a global platform for discussions on strengthening cooperation in artificial intelligence. More than 110 countries and 30 international organisations are participating in the summit. Around 20 Heads of State or Government and nearly 45 ministers are attending the event.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Proud to see an Indian-origin CEO highlighting India's potential on a global stage. The $15B investment and AI hub are massive. Hope this translates into real jobs and skilling for our youth, not just corporate profits. The focus on healthcare and agriculture is spot on! 🙌
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Rahul R
Good words, but we must be cautious. "Hyper-progress" sounds exciting, but what about data privacy for millions of Indians? And will these AI solutions be affordable for our small-town doctors and farmers? Bold approach needs a responsible framework first.
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Sarah B
The international collaboration angle is key. 110 countries at the summit is impressive. The malaria vaccine example shows how AI can solve global problems. India, with its tech talent and scale, is perfectly positioned to be a hub for this kind of innovation.
K
Karthik V
The new subsea cables between US and India are the unsung hero here. Faster data means better AI models trained on Indian conditions. This infrastructure is as important as the software. Jai Hind to our digital future! 🇮🇳
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Nisha Z
I hope this summit leads to actual policy. We need to ensure AI doesn't create a bigger digital divide. Training must reach tier-2 and tier-3 cities. The pace of change is fast, but let's make it inclusive for all Indians.

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