Sundar Pichai calls AI change unprecedented, acknowledges student anxiety
Google CEO Sundar Pichai is openly acknowledging that students are anxious about how AI could affect job security and the economy.
On the Hard Fork podcast, he called this wave of AI change unprecedented in scale, but also encouraged graduates to see themselves as drivers of progress who can adapt and thrive.
His comments come just before his commencement address at Stanford.
Students challenge tech executives over AI
Recently, students have been pushing back on tech executives (including during graduation speeches) about AI's impact on future careers (a trend some call the "boo strategy").
Meanwhile, a Pew study shows nearly half of Americans feel more worried than excited about AI's growing role.
With a tougher job market and longer hiring times for new graduates, leaders like Jensen Huang say there's still big potential in AI—even if not everyone is convinced yet.