Pichai at India AI Summit: AI success will be judged by diffusion, not just adoption

New Delhi: Google CEO Sundar Pichai said the real test of artificial intelligence will be how widely it diffuses across society, arguing that India can shape the technology’s trajectory as a user base, a builder of solutions and a rule-shaper in global AI debates.

Speaking at media engagements and sessions around the India AI Impact Summit, Pichai described the current phase as a transformational moment for India and said AI’s value will be measured by deep adoption across sectors that improves everyday outcomes for people.

Pichai said India is positioned to be a “full-stack” AI player and linked that ambition to investment in foundational capability, including research, knowledge and institutions, along with the role of government in expanding access and adoption.

At the Summit, he described AI as ushering in an era of “hyper progress”, with the potential to unlock scientific discoveries and help emerging economies leapfrog legacy gaps. He said no technology has made him “dream bigger” than AI.

Pichai also flagged infrastructure as a prerequisite for broad-based AI diffusion. He said the digital divide cannot be allowed to become an AI divide, pointing to the need for investments in compute infrastructure and connectivity.

As part of that push, he said Google will build four new subsea fibre optic cable systems between India and the United States under an “America-India Connect” initiative.

He also said Google is establishing a “full-stack AI hub” in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, as part of its previously announced USD 15 billion infrastructure investment in India, with reporting around the announcement describing the plan as anchored on large-scale compute and connectivity build-out.

Pichai said AI will reshape the workforce, with some roles automated, others evolving and new careers being created. He referenced the creator economy as an example of how new work categories can emerge at scale over time.

On trust and safety, he described trust as the bedrock of technology adoption and called for collaboration across government, companies and innovators. He cited tools such as SynthID, which Google has positioned as a way to help verify content authenticity.

Pichai also argued that governments have a dual role in the AI era, as regulators who set rules and address risks, and as innovators who bring AI into public services to accelerate adoption for people and businesses.

The India AI Impact Summit is being hosted by the Government of India under the IndiaAI Mission, in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, with official information listing it as a multi-stakeholder gathering on AI policy, innovation and impact.