The AI is going to be bigger than the Internet.

We stand at a pivotal moment in technological history, a period where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from the realm of research into the fabric of our daily lives. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, offers a compelling vision of this transformation, outlining not just where we are with AI today, but the truly profound shifts it promises for tomorrow.

Today’s AI: From Foundational Research to Everyday Reality
Pichai emphasizes that Google’s current AI breakthroughs are built on years of deep, foundational work in computer science, positioning the company as “AI first” for a significant time. This long-term investment is now visibly maturing, translating into tangible products and features that are reshaping how we interact with technology.

We are currently witnessing AI’s confident rollout across numerous applications. Advanced AI models, like those powering new versions of Gemini and tools like Imagine for Content Generation, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and accessible. This isn’t just about incremental improvements; it represents a fundamental platform shift in user interface. Pichai highlights that interacting with computers through natural language is becoming the new standard, fundamentally altering our engagement with the digital world. No longer are we solely reliant on clicks and taps; conversation is becoming a primary mode of interaction.

Beyond just interaction, AI is empowering a new wave of creation. It’s making it dramatically easier for people, even those without deep technical expertise, to develop AI applications and software. This democratization is evident in tools that assist with coding in Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) and in innovative products designed to augment human capabilities.
The impact of AI is not siloed; it’s horizontal, touching nearly every facet of technology and business. From enhancing search capabilities and personalizing content on platforms like YouTube, to driving innovation in cloud computing, mobile operating systems like Android, app ecosystems like Google Play, autonomous driving with Waymo, and even groundbreaking life sciences research, AI is the underlying engine of progress.

Tomorrow’s AI: Beyond Screens, Into Our World, and Self-Improving
While today’s AI is largely experienced through our phones and laptops, Pichai envisions a future where computing becomes ubiquitous and seamlessly integrated into our lives, breaking free from the confines of the “black glass display rectangle.”

A key part of this vision involves Augmented Reality (AR) glasses. Google is actively developing these, with the anticipation that sophisticated AR glasses will soon be in the hands of developers, closely resembling final consumer products. The expectation is that millions could be experiencing this technology within the next year, potentially heralding an “iPhone level replacement product” for mainstream use. These devices promise an always-on, contextually aware assistant that interacts with the real world, overlaying digital information and experiences onto our physical surroundings.
The very nature of the internet is also poised for transformation with the rise of an “agent-first web.” In this paradigm, AI agents will interact directly with information and services online. This could reshape the web into a vast network of databases readily accessible to these intelligent agents, leading to new economic models and fresh avenues for value exchange for content creators and service providers.

Perhaps the most profound aspect of AI, according to Pichai, is its inherent capacity for self-improvement. Drawing parallels to the rapid, superhuman learning demonstrated by systems like AlphaGo, future AI is expected to learn, adapt, and enhance its own capabilities at an accelerating pace.

This leads to what Pichai anticipates as the next significant platform shift: the moment AI truly translates into the physical world through general-purpose robotics. This “aha moment” in robotics, where intelligent machines can perform a wide range of physical tasks, is expected to be a major development, changing industries and daily life in ways we are only beginning to imagine.
The ultimate promise of AI lies in its potential for sweeping societal transformation. Pichai points to the immense opportunities in critical areas like accelerating drug discovery, revolutionizing disease treatment (including complex challenges like cancer), and empowering the next generation with unprecedented tools to program, create, and solve problems.

The Journey Ahead
Sundar Pichai’s perspective paints a picture of AI not just as another technological advancement but as a fundamental force reshaping our world. From the intelligent tools we use today to the ambient, self-improving, and physically embodied AI of tomorrow, the journey is well underway. The future it promises is one where technology becomes more intuitive, more integrated, and ultimately, more empowering for all.

This comprehensive overview should capture the essence of Sundar Pichai’s discussion on AI’s trajectory.