CEO Sundar Pichai says Google to keep hiring engineers

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google-parent

Alphabet

, says that Google will continue expanding its engineering workforce through 2026, directly countering widespread industry concerns about

AI-driven job displacement

. Speaking at the Bloomberg Tech conference, Pichai emphasized that artificial intelligence serves as "an accelerator" rather than a replacement for human talent, enabling the company to pursue greater opportunities in emerging technology sectors."I expect we will grow from our current engineering base even into next year, because it allows us to do more with the opportunity space," Pichai told Bloomberg. The commitment comes as major tech competitors like Amazon, Microsoft and Meta have trimmed thousands are are planning to cut thousands of more positions this year to fund massive AI investments, raising fears about technology replacing human workers across the industry.

AI makes engineers more Productive, not redundant, says Sundar Pichai

Pichai positioned Google's approach as fundamentally different from companies viewing AI as a cost-cutting tool. Instead of eliminating roles, he described AI as dramatically enhancing engineer productivity by handling mundane tasks and freeing up human talent for more impactful innovation work. This philosophy underpins Google's continued hiring strategy even as the company invests billions in AI development.

The CEO pointed to expanding ventures including Waymo autonomous vehicles, quantum computing initiatives, and YouTube's explosive global growth as evidence of innovation opportunities requiring human expertise. He specifically highlighted YouTube's scale in India, where the platform now hosts 100 million channels with 15,000 boasting over one million subscribers, demonstrating the ongoing demand for engineering talent to support such growth.

Pichai points out balanced perspective on AI's future limitations

While optimistic about AI's potential, Pichai offered a measured assessment of current technology limitations. He acknowledged that AI models continue making basic mistakes despite excelling in areas like coding, and expressed uncertainty about achieving artificial general intelligence. "So are we currently on an absolute path to AGI? I don't think anyone can say for sure," he admitted.This hiring commitment contrasts sharply with Alphabet's recent layoff history, including 12,000 employees cut in 2023 and additional reductions in 2024 and early 2025. However, what Pichai said signals a strategic shift toward growth-focused investment in human capital, betting that AI enhancement rather than replacement will drive Google's competitive advantage in an increasingly automated future.