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Business News›Magazines›Panache›Panache People 101›Sundar Pichai
    Sundar Pichai

    Sundar Pichai

    CEO, Google and Alphabet
    Birth DetailsJune 10, 1972 | Madurai, India
    NationalityAmerican
    LeagueBusiness Leader
    EducationBTech, IIT Kharagpur; MS, Stanford University; MBA, Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania
    Sundar Pichai’s Journey so far ...
    • Pichai Sundararajan, also known as Sundar Pichai, did his schooling from then Madras, now Chennai, and later cracked the IIT-JEE examinations. Sundar's father worked with the British firm General Electric Company and they stayed in a two-room apartment in Chennai's Ashok Nagar
    • He joined IIT Kharagpur where he pursued a course in Metallurgy. After his BTech, he like many others of his generation went off to the United States where he completed a Master's in Science from Stanford, and an MBA from the Wharton School
    • After completing his MBA, Pichai initially joined Applied Materials as a Product Manager and then worked as a management consultant with McKinsey
    • In 2004, he joined Google as vice-president of product management and worked on the Toolbar which was designed to simplify search on Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox
    • Toolbar’s success inspired Pichai to launch Google's own browser. In 2008, Google launched Chrome which became a hit with millions across the world in no time
    • His stellar performance soon saw Pichai being promoted as the senior vice-president of Google Chrome and Google Apps in 2012
    • In 2013, Google promoted him as the head of the company's mobile operating system, Android, and by 2014 he was given charge of Search, Maps and Gmail. With this, the IIT-Kharagpur alumnus became one of the most powerful technology executives in the world
    • In a blog post in August 2015, Larry Page announced the launch of Alphabet and Google became a subsidiary of this new company. Pichai was made the CEO of Google. In 11 years he rose the ladder and became the operations chief of the technology behemoth which now consisted of Search, Advertising, Maps, YouTube and Android
    • Since he took over, Google's market cap more than doubled to $900 billion
    • Pichai’s special interest for India has led Google to tie up with the Indian Railways for high-speed internet at railway stations.
    • In December 2019, Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin wrote a letter in which they announced that they were stepping down and appointed Sundar Pichai as the CEO of Alphabet in addition to his existing role of Google CEO.

    Before you go ...

    Last Updated: 10/02/2021

    Sundar Pichai News

    • Happy Tuesday! The global market rout may push Indian startups to reconsider IPO plans. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.
    • The rise of AI is driving massive demand for specialised data centres packed with GPUs, which require vast amounts of electricity and water. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta are investing billions to build new facilities worldwide, reshaping technology, energy, and local communities, while raising concerns over environmental impact.
    • At a recent all-hands meeting, Google employees raised concerns over smaller salary hikes and reduced stock grants despite the company’s strong financial performance. Many staff members, especially in non-technical roles, reported lower equity packages, sparking frustration. Google’s VP of Global Compensation, John Casey, stated that over 80% of employees saw an increase in their 2025 compensation, but adjustments were made to align salaries with local market conditions.
    • Waymo began deploying vehicles in Washington, DC, this January. It plans to add more in the coming weeks, followed by the launch of paid commercial services next year.
    • Google has agreed to buy cybersecurity firm Wiz for $32 billion, the company's biggest-ever acquisition. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian told staff that AI has changed cybersecurity. On company's biggest ever acquisition, the tech giant CEO Sundar Pichai told his employees in an email that such deals are not made everyday.
    • Google Cloud will also be among the first to adopt Nvidia’s GB300 NVL72 and RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs. Additionally, Nvidia will adopt SynthID, a digital watermarking tool from Google DeepMind that embeds invisible markers in AI-generated images, audio, text and video. Nvidia will be the first industry partner to implement the tool.
    • Google to buy cloud security startup Wiz for $32 billion. Upon completion of the deal, Wiz will become part of Google Cloud. Google will leverage Wiz to create a unified security offering. Customers will be given enhanced threat intelligence and cybersecurity professionals, including AI agents.
    • Sundar Pichai is a prominent Indian-American, who is currently the CEO of Alphabet Inc. and Google LLC. He was born on June 10, 1972, in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu. Sundar Pichai's journey from Madras to Google is inspiring and one can take many lessons from it. He started his career at Google in 2004 and went on to become the CEO.
    • Waymo's robotaxis will be hitting the streets of Austin ahead of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's goal of launching a fleet of electric self-driving cars later this year.
    • Two years ago, the company was providing just 10,000 rides a week, but this has now grown to over 200,000 paid robotaxi rides weekly. Reports indicate that Waymo plans to launch commercial robotaxi services in Austin and Atlanta in 2025, in partnership with Uber.
    • Quantum computers that are truly useful are 5-to-10 years away, according to Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google. Comparing them to AI advancements in the 2010s, he highlights a recent breakthrough where Google researchers calculated a problem in five minutes that would take supercomputers much longer. Governments and corporations are investing heavily in quantum computing research.
    • Pichai expected Alphabet to be a leading player in the AI space but said others would be there in that space too, he said at the World Governments Summit held in Dubai.
    • The Alphabet CEO also noted the potential for close collaboration between "we" (Google) and India to advance the country's digital transformation.
    • At an event where countries and industry have focused more on deploying AI than on reining it in, Pichai called for ecosystems of AI innovation and adoption like one he said was growing in France.
    • Eagerness to regulate AI has decreased since the UK and South Korea summits, which focused on the risks after ChatGPT's 2022 launch. As US President Trump removes AI safeguards to boost competitiveness, pressure on the EU grows to adopt a lighter regulatory approach, ensuring European firms remain competitive in the tech race.
    • Prime Minister Narendra Modi held discussions with notable figures like Amitabh Bachchan and Mukesh Ambani about the upcoming World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES). The summit aims to position India as a global entertainment hub, much like Davos for economic talks, with extensive support and valuable inputs from the advisory board.
    • Google had for years been among the most vocal companies pushing for more inclusive policies in the wake of protests against the police killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans in 2020.
    • Google has revised its AI principles, removing commitments to avoid using AI for weapons or surveillance post the inauguration of President Trump. The update emphasizes the role of democracies in leading AI development while ensuring AI serves to protect people, promote growth, and support national security.
    • Alphabet plans to spend $75 billion on AI buildout in 2025, significantly surpassing Wall Street's expectations. This substantial investment includes building servers and data centers. Meanwhile, the company's cloud revenue growth has slowed, raising investor concerns over profitability and capital spending efficiency.
    • A consortium led by American tech giants and Times Internet vice-chairman Satyan Gajwani & Palo Alto Networks' CEO Nikesh Arora acquired a 49% stake in the London Spirit cricket franchise for £145 million, making it the most valuable team in The Hundred tournament. London Spirit's home at Lord's and its location in London are key factors in its high valuation.
    • Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited has acquired a 49% stake in the ECB's The Hundred team, Oval Invincibles, for £60.27 million, fending off competition from notable names. Reliance already owns multiple cricket franchises globally. The buying process for other team stakes continues amid some financial projection concerns by prospective buyers, but interest remains high.
    • Donald Trump’s 2025 inauguration saw top politicians, business moguls, and global leaders in attendance, including Vivek Ramaswamy, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Argentina’s President Javier Milei.
    • Google's Sundar Pichai, Tesla's Elon Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg gather for Donald Trump's inauguration as he returns to the presidency. Trump, taking the oath of office inside the congressional complex due to the cold, aims for an uplifting address. Several foreign leaders, including Argentina's president, are attending.
    • Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, with prominent Indian figures like EAM Jaishankar, Mukesh Ambani, and Sundar Pichai in attendance. Jaishankar represents PM Modi, while Indian business leaders partake in pre-swearing-in events, highlighting the influence of Indian-origin entrepreneurs in US politics and business.
    • Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc., is part of a consortium bidding over £80 million for a London cricket team in The Hundred tournament. The group includes top executives like Satya Nadella and Shantanu Narayen. The ECB seeks private investment to boost the sport's finances. London teams, especially the one playing at Lord's, are attracting significant interest.
    • Is Google planning big in the space of AI for 2025? Google CEO Sundar Pichai has shared an email with his employees on how the company is planning to introduce AI products and services in the upcoming months. The tech giant is betting big on its Gemini AI model and app, which executives hope will become Google's next product to reach 500 million users.
    • Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Jeff Bezos, Sundar Pichai and Jensen Huang are names of some of the top industry leaders who have flocked to US President-elect Donald Trump. One of the prime reasons might be the proposed legislation that could land on Trump’s desk during his next term in the White House. But why are tech leaders want to be in Trump's good books?
    • Bengaluru software engineer Sid Puri shared a selfie on X with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, whom he met in Goa. Captioned “Goa >> everywhere else. Ran into the OG Bangalore boy Nikhil Kamath,” the post highlighted Puri’s excitement. Kamath, 38, posed casually in a sleeveless black T-shirt.
    • Googleyness: Google's CEO Sundar Pichai has said the word "Googleyness" had become too broad and has now clarified what it means for the company. Once used to determine whether a candidate would be a good fit for hiring, 'Googleyness' has evolved in definition over the years. The term "Googleyness" has been loosely used at Google for so long, originally to help screen if potential employees would "fit in" with Google's culture and values.
    • Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah's witty reply to a journalist about his batting prowess sparked an online buzz, catching the attention of tech giants Elon Musk and Sundar Pichai. Pichai praised Bumrah's humor and batting skills on X (formerly Twitter), prompting Musk to chime in with approval. The Google CEO even suggested they attend an India vs.
    • Pichai said, "I think we applied AI the most aggressively, if anything in the company, in search, right? The gaps in search quality were all based on transformers. We made search quality improvements. We were improving the language understanding of search. "
    • The software is designed to power augmented and virtual reality experiences enhanced with artificial intelligence, XR vice president Shahram Izadi said in a blog post. "With headsets, you can effortlessly switch between being fully immersed in a virtual environment and staying present in the real world," Izadi said.
    • Google unveiled Gemini 2.0, its next-generation AI, aiming to handle more human tasks. It will power AI agents for various applications, from image interpretation to online search assistance. While initially limited to test groups and subscribers, wider releases across Google's free products are planned for next year, amidst regulatory challenges.
    • And unless and until Indian IT starts focusing more on competence, more in terms of being able to create products and so on, I am rather sceptical on the ability of IT services to continue to scale.
    • Google quantum chip Willow: Google has unveiled a new chip which it claims takes five minutes to solve a problem that would currently take the world's fastest super computers ten septillion – or 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years – to complete. It has impressed tech leaders, including Elon Musk, the world's richest man. The conversation between Musk and Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Willow has gone viral on X, leaving the netizens impressed.
    • Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced significant changes to Google Search, set to roll out in 2025. Speaking at the New York Times DealBook Summit, he highlighted how AI would enhance the search engine's ability to handle complex questions. With innovations like AI-generated summaries and video-based search tools, Google aims to redefine search capabilities. Pichai also defended Google's position in the AI race against Microsoft, emphasising its proprietary technology and commitment to innovation.
    • A Mumbai court has issued a contempt notice against Google CEO Sundar Pichai. The notice was issued to Pichai after YouTube failed to follow a court order which directed taking down the a defamatory video titled 'Pakhandi Baba ki Kartut'. The legal trouble comes at a time when Google is already facing another antitrust investigation in India.
    • A Mumbai court issued a contempt notice to Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, for YouTube's failure to remove a defamatory video against NGO Dhyan Foundation, as previously directed. The court rejected YouTube's argument for immunity under the IT Act, noting the video's defamatory nature and potential harm to public peace.
    • Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, joined a call between Google CEO Sundar Pichai and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to congratulate Trump on his election win. Musk’s presence during the call reflects his growing influence in Trump’s circle, highlighted by his new role as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency. As Musk continues to strengthen ties with Trump, questions arise about the interplay of his corporate interests and political connections.
    • In a letter on November 13 addressed to Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Mark Zuckerberg, and Tim Cook, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said that the big tech companies “silenced Americans for doing nothing more than exercising their First Amendment rights”.
    • The new Gemini app will include Gemini Live, a voice-based feature that allows users to have natural conversations with the chatbot. Apple has already said it will incorporate OpenAI's ChatGPT into a refreshed version of its voice assistant, Siri.
    • Mukesh Ambani secures the 12th position on Fortune's list of 100 Most Powerful People, leading a pack of six Indian-origin individuals. The list features tech titans like Microsoft's Satya Nadella (3rd) and Google's Sundar Pichai (10th), highlighting the industry's global impact. Other notable figures include Adobe's Shantanu Narayen (52nd), YouTube's Neal Mohan (69th), and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla (74th).
    • During an earnings call, Pichai expressed confidence in the company's legal stance and its commitment to product accessibility amid antitrust concerns. He emphasized that Google will vigorously contest a recent ruling and highlighted potential unintended consequences of the Department of Justice's proposals on the tech sector. Pichai reiterated that Google’s success stems from innovation and strong consumer choice, noting that it remains the best search engine.
    • Getting into the Halloween spirit, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google, shared a cheerful glimpse of Google’s Halloween celebration on his Instagram, cleverly dubbed "Howl-o-ween." The photos capture a lively event featuring the beloved "Dooglers"—adorable dogs dressed in festive costumes, bringing fun and a joyful energy to the occasion.
    • A recent remark by Google CEO Sundar Pichai on new code and Artificial intelligence (AI) has been sparked speculation about threats coders face. Sundar Pichai said Google's long term focus and investment in AI are paying off and driving success for the company and its customers. Nowadays, most tech companies are using AI to ease the process and increase efficiency but it also poses a threat to human jobs. Pichai in a recent earnings call highlighted AI's crucial role in the company's growth strategy.
    • Google's free meal policy: Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently explained the surprising benefits as to why the tech giant offers free meals for its employees. Sundar Pichai also said having employee-friendly initiatives impact the workplace dynamics positively in the long run. He said that when Google gives out offers, approximately 90% of the candidates end up accepting it.
    • Google CEO Sundar Pichai has appointed Prabhakar Raghavan as the tech giant's chief technologist. Raghavan will be moving into the role of chief technologist after 12 years of leading other teams across the search company, Pichai said. Earlier Raghavan had been leading Google’s search and advertising section, along with other major divisions.
    • Raghavan used to oversee ads and several other critical business areas for the world’s largest online search company. Raghavan’s new role will focus on driving strategic technical direction and nurturing Google’s culture of technological excellence. He will collaborate closely with Pichai and other executives to ensure Google stays at the forefront of innovation, the memo said.
    • Google Jobs Requirements: Google CEO Sundar Pichai has revealed his surprising three-word criteria for landing entry-level jobs at the company. Pichai, who became the CEO of Google in 2019, shared a concise three-word answer, which does not include high IQ or work quotient. He also revealed why Google offers free meals to his employees.
    • His remarkable leadership, marked by a unique blend of humility and confidence, guided TCS through transformative global expansions, with a deep sense of service to the communities we operate in and the values we cherish, K Krithivasan, chief executive officer and managing director of TCS said.
    • Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Group, passed away at 86 in Mumbai. He transformed Tata Group into a global powerhouse and was known for his philanthropy. Business leaders like Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and Sundar Pichai paid tribute to the late industrialist. The Maharashtra government has also declared a day of mourning.
    • Sundar Pichai and Anand Mahindra expressed heartfelt condolences on the passing of Ratan Tata, applauding his immense contributions to business and philanthropy in India. Tata's leadership and mentorship were noted as invaluable, significantly impacting India's economic progress and modern business leadership.
    • The U.S. Department of Justice is expected on Tuesday to tell a judge what actions Alphabet's Google should take after he ruled in August that it illegally monopolized online search in the United States, the latest step in a long legal process.
    • The new Dorchester County facilities, located in the Pine Hill Business Campus in Ridgeville and Winding Woods Commerce Park in St. George, represent a $2 billion investment and will create 200 new operational jobs, while Alphabet will invest $1.3 billion in Berkeley County, according to the statement.
    • The 15 technology CEOs who attended the roundtable included Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture; Shantanu Narayen, CEO, Adobe; Lisa Su, CEO, AMD; Arvind Krishna, CEO, IBM and Jensen Huang, CEO, Nvidia among others. The tech-roundtable focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum; biotechnology and life sciences; computing, IT and communication; and semiconductor technologies, as per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs.
    • "The Prime Minister has been focused on transforming India with his Digital India vision. He pushed us to continue making in India, design in India. We are proud to now make our Pixel phones manufactured in India," Pichai said after the meeting.
    • Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in a roundtable with global tech leaders in New York, organized by MIT. The discussion covered AI, Quantum Computing, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, IT, and Semiconductors. Modi emphasized India's focus on becoming a global tech hub and the importance of international collaboration for growth.
    • Pichai said that the initiative will invest "one hundred and twenty million dollars to make AI education and training available in communities around the world. We're providing this in local languages, in partnership with nonprofits and NGOs".
    • TIME Magazine has unveiled its 'TIME100 Most Influential People in AI 2024' list, featuring several Indians. Notable names include Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The list also highlights actor Anil Kapoor's legal victory over unauthorized AI use of his likeness, setting a precedent for personality rights protection.
    • Hurun India has published its 2024 list of the richest Indians, highlighting prominent professional managers. Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks leads the list, followed by Nikesh Arora of Palo Alto Networks and Satya Nadella of Microsoft. India now has 334 billionaires, with a significant increase in cumulative wealth and average wealth.
    • A growing number of Indian-origin executives are now at the helm of major global technology companies, profoundly influencing the industry's direction. Leaders such as Sundar Pichai at Alphabet, Satya Nadella at Microsoft, and Nikesh Arora at Palo Alto Networks are shaping the digital landscape. Similarly, Steve Sanghi of Microchip and Arvind Krishna of IBM are making significant impacts in their respective fields.
    • Susan Wojcicki Death: Susan Wojcicki, ex-CEO of YouTube, passed away after a two-year battle with lung cancer. Her husband, Dennis Troper, conveyed the news and highlighted her immense contributions to family and work. Sundar Pichai mourned her loss, noting her significant role in Google’s evolution and her positive influence on countless employees.
    • Sundar Pichai favourite food: Google CEO Sundar Pichai's favourite foods are dosa, chole bhature and pav bhaji.
    • In a comedic take on India's tendency to find "India connections" everywhere, the piece references the British comedy sketch show 'Goodness Gracious Me,' where an Indian father humorously claims historical figures as Indian. The latest example of this exuberance is the celebration of Usha Chilukuri Vance, wife of US senator J.D. Vance, chosen by Donald Trump as his vice-presidential running mate. While it's fine to acknowledge her heritage, the article argues that celebrating her as a significant Indian achievement stretches the connection to an exaggerated level.
    • Tech honchos Satya Nadella, Sundar Pichai, and others hailed India's historic win over South Africa in a nerve-wrenching final of the ICC T20 World Cup at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
    • The report from data analytics firm C-Suite Comp featured two lists based on different metrics: "total compensation granted" in 2023 and "compensation actually paid." Sundar Pichai of Google and Satya Nadella of Microsoft, despite their prominent positions and successful years, did not appear on either list. Nikesh Arora is the only Indian-American to make it to the list of the top 10 highest-paid CEOs in the United States. Here's all you need to know about the Indian-origin CEO .
    • Pichai is the highest-profile witness to testify so far in the trial of Carlos Watson, the founder of Ozy who is accused of misrepresenting his company's financial results, funding and audience data to investors and lenders from 2018 to 2021.
    • RCS is an interactive messaging protocol which enables features such as two-way communication, exchange of text/pictures/videos, group conversations, read receipts, lead generation and other advantages as compared to the traditional SMS.
    • The disappearance of AI Overviews for some of the searches appeared to be part of a broader rollback after the new technology produced a litany of untruths and errors -- including recommending glue as part of a pizza recipe and suggesting that people ingest rocks for nutrients. Users loudly complained on social media about the mistakes, in many cases outright making fun of Google.
    • In a recent interview with Varun Mayya, Google's Sundar Pichai shared his favorite Indian dishes from Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai. He also discussed his success philosophy, emphasizing deep understanding of concepts. Drawing from the movie "3 Idiots," Pichai highlighted the importance of genuine comprehension over surface-level knowledge for achieving real success.
    • Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, emerged as the second highest-paid CEO in the US in 2023, with a total compensation of $151.43 million. The Wall Street Journal's report highlighted the strong presence of Indian-descent executives among high earners, with 17 making it into the top 500. Shantanu Narayen of Adobe followed closely behind Arora at number 11, with earnings of $44.93 million.
    • Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella emphasize India's potential in AI development to boost productivity and drive economic growth, highlighting the transformative impact of AI on various sectors including services exports, education, and workforce development.
    • Sundar Pichai during a recent interview with content creator Varun Mayya referenced Aamir Khan's iconic motor scene from '3 Idiots' to emphasize the importance of deep understanding over rote learning. This snippet, shared on Instagram, quickly went viral, sparking discussions on Pichai's insights and the enduring impact of cinematic narratives in modern discourse. The interview showcased Pichai's unique perspective and contributions to the tech landscape.
    • Pichai, who is also the chief executive of Alphabet, Google's parent company, was talking a day after announcing several of Google's innovations in his keynote address at Google I/O connect, the company's annual developer conference. "AI tools for a lot of our products... India is number one country in terms of user base. To be able to serve them we're committed to bringing the same AI tools," Pichai said.
    • In the past, Microsoft's strategy was to embrace, extend, and extinguish (EEE) by using open standards to create tools, then adding proprietary extensions to dominate the market and control competitors. At Google's recent I/O 2024 developer conference, announcements included AI-driven photo search, a generative AI chatbot, and AI agents for personal assistants. However, many products, like text-to-image and text-to-music, are still in prototype stages. Google aims to integrate AI into all its products, leveraging its massive user base, unlike OpenAI, which, despite innovations, lacks Google's distribution power.
    • Google I/O 2024 is set to begin this year on Tuesday in Mountain View, California. The event promises a deep dive into Google's latest innovations, focusing on software updates, AI advancements, and more. The keynote, led by Sundar Pichai, will start at 10 AM Pacific Time (10:30 PM India Time) and will be live-streamed on Google's official YouTube channel. Expect insights into Android's future, updates on generative AI like Gemini AI, and potential teasers of upcoming Google hardware.
    • Sundar Pichai is approaching billionaire status, thanks to Google's stock surge under his leadership since 2015. The recent record-breaking earnings reflect AI-driven growth in cloud computing, with the company introducing its first dividend. Pichai's journey from humble beginnings in Chennai to tech success is a testament to hard work and sacrifice.
    • McKinsey & Company, known for its prestigious alumni and talent development programs, is facing scrutiny from the DOJ for its past advice to opioid companies. Notable alumni include Sundar Pichai, Sheryl Sandberg, and John Malone. Despite its reputation as a talent incubator, McKinsey has faced criticism for its work with Enron and the Saudi Arabian government. The DOJ's investigation adds to the challenges McKinsey faces as it navigates the post-pandemic era and adapts to changing client demands. The firm has not yet responded to requests for comment on the investigation or recent reports of overhiring.
    • Google CEO Sundar Pichai, in a recent talk at Stanford, emphasized AI's transformative potential and Google's commitment to fostering innovation. He expressed concern over startup disruption, stressing the need for risk-taking and recognition of effort within Google's vast workforce. Pichai cited Google Glass as an example and expressed excitement about the multimodal capabilities of Google's language model, Gemini, envisioning its power for future innovation.
    • Jensen Huang introduced the Blackwell chip for trillion-parameter AI models, with partnerships from tech giants like Google and Microsoft. The chip powers India's Shakti Cloud and boasts impressive performance metrics compared to its predecessor.
    • For people at the trend-setting tech festival here, the scandal that erupted after Google's Gemini chatbot cranked out images of Black and Asian Nazi soldiers was seen as a warning about the power artificial intelligence can give tech titans. Folks interviewed at the popular South by Southwest arts and tech festival in Austin said the Gemini stumble highlights the inordinate power a handful of companies have over the artificial intelligence platforms that are poised to change the way people live and work.
    • HP’s global president Enrique Lores said India was on track to become the third largest economy globally, presenting a unique opportunity for companies to grow in such regions.
    • Chandrasekhar had earlier warned that Gemini's response to a question around the Prime Minister is in direct violation of IT rules as well as several provisions of the criminal code.
    • Google's AI image generation tool Gemini was pulled last week due to its ability to generate surreal images of Black vikings, Black and East Asian 1930s German soldiers, and an African-American founding father of America. These images are surreal and have no bearing in real life, making them seem strange and unfunny. Gemini and other Learning Machines (LLMs) don't think up these images themselves, but they create them from what they are told by their human overlords and their vast training datasets.
    • Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledges and promises to fix the controversial responses generated by AI chatbot Gemini. The chatbot faced backlash for equating Elon Musk with Adolf Hitler and inaccuracies in generating images. Google plans to relaunch Gemini soon and has apologized for the issues.
    • Google's Gemini 1.5 AI model processes one million tokens, enabling analysis of more content. It competes with OpenAI's ChatGPT, brings updated technology to Google Search and YouTube, and boosts Alphabet's cloud unit and sales growth.
    • Mukesh Ambani is ranked first among Indians and second globally in the Brand Guardianship Index 2024 by Brand Finance. The index recognizes CEOs who build business value sustainably and balance stakeholder needs. Ambani's BGI score is 80.3, just below Huateng Ma's 81.6. ESG is now the most important factor in CEO reputation, accounting for 14% of reputation scores.
    • Tech companies, including startups, around the world fired more than 425,000 employees in 2022 and 2023, with more than 36,000 employees being sacked in India in the same time frame.
    • Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella will address developers and technologists on “discovering new opportunities with AI” during a visit next week in Bangalore, the country's technology epicenter. He'll also speak to industry leaders in Mumbai about the opportunities and challenges with next-generation AI.
    • According to data from Layoffs.fyi, a layoff-tracking website, a total of 2,62,595 employees were laid off last year by 1,187 tech companies. So far in January, 91 tech companies have already fired 24,564 employees.
    • Google CEO Sundar Pichai acknowledged in an internal memo last Wednesday that more layoffs were on the way. Why has the company taken cost-cutting moves?
    • Alphabet-owned Google said on Thursday it would invest $1 billion in a data centre in the United Kingdom, which would expand the company's presence in the key market.
    • Google CEO Sundar Pichai said this year's layoffs were aimed at “removing layers to simplify execution and drive velocity in some areas.” This comes as the company recalibrates priorities to fit investment into AI technology.
    • Last week, Vestager's communications adviser said she would speak to chief executives of Apple, Alphabet, Broadcom and Nvidia in the United States, focusing on European digital regulation including the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and competition policy.
    • The third-quarter IT earnings for FY24 began on a weak note as TCS posted a low single-digit rise in net profit while Infosys saw its profit fall 7%. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.
    • The European Union's competition regulator said Tuesday it was looking into Microsoft's investment into ChatGPT developer OpenAI to see if it merits further investigation under the bloc's merger rules. The European Commission said in a statement it was "checking whether Microsoft's investment in OpenAI might be reviewable under the EU Merger Regulation".
    • With the year drawing to a close, ETtech looks at startups and tech companies— global and domestic—which laid off employees to cut costs amid economic uncertainties.
    • The CEO of Alphabet Inc. which is the parent company of Google is the highest-paid CEO in the United States with a pay of $226 million.
    • What set off Silicon Valley was ChatGPT, launched by an upstart called OpenAI. It had captured the imagination of millions of people who had thought AI was science fiction until they started playing with the thing.
    • Sundar Pichai, Ajay Banga, and more Indian origin CEOs who run billion dollar companies
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    DisclaimerThe content of this page has been aggregated from multiple websites. Some information can change over the passage of time.
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