Google and its parent company Alphabet are not immune if the AI bubble bursts, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has warned during a BBC interview. He described the current surge in AI investment as an “extraordinary moment,” but admitted the market carries “elements of irrationality,” echoing the dotcom-era’s fervor.
When asked whether Google itself could weather a sudden market correction, Pichai replied, “I think no company is going to be immune, including us.”
Pichai also pointed to Alphabet’s long-term bets: a £5 billion investment in UK AI research and infrastructure over two years, including new data centres and support for DeepMind. He said Google is preparing to train models in Britain—a move aligned with the UK’s ambition to become a global AI leader.
Beyond investment concerns, Pichai raised red flags about AI’s growing energy demands. He warned that the “immense” power required to scale AI operations could push back Alphabet’s net-zero climate goals.
Pichai called AI “the most profound technology” humanity has developed, saying its expansion will bring both “societal disruptions” and new opportunities. He urged governments and companies to build better energy infrastructure to support the rapid growth.
Drawing a parallel with the early internet, he noted that although there was “excess investment” back then, the internet’s long-term impact was undeniable. According to Pichai, AI may follow a similar path—powerful and transformative, but not without risk.
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