Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO, sat with Andrew Ross Sorkin at New York Times DealBook Summit to discuss the future of Google Search and the role of AI. While he spoke confidently about innovations expected by 2025, he faltered when pressed about Google’s impact on content creators and the broader web ecosystem.
A Profound Shift in Search
Pichai emphasized that we’re in the “earliest stages of a profound shift” in search, driven by advancements in AI. He highlighted Google’s leadership in foundational AI technologies, like transformers, which power breakthroughs in generative AI. He stated:
“Search itself will continue to change profoundly in 2025. I think we’ll tackle more complex questions than ever before. By early 2025, the new capabilities of search will surprise everyone.”
However, he acknowledged that future progress will be harder, as the “low-hanging fruit” in innovation has already been harvested.
AI’s Central Role in Search
Pichai pointed out that AI has long been embedded in Google’s DNA, from the introduction of RankBrain in 2015 to the use of BERT, MUM, and multimodal capabilities in recent years. He also touted Google’s Gemini AI, which is already enhancing search for over a billion users.
When asked about competing with OpenAI and the rise of AI-driven answers outside traditional search, Pichai countered that search is more essential than ever:
“In a world inundated with content, search becomes more valuable. It helps users find trustworthy and meaningful information amidst the noise.”
Deflecting Criticism About Creator Impact
The conversation turned contentious when Sorkin asked about the economic impact on content creators. He used the analogy of a scholar researching books versus Google “spitting out” content millions of times a day.
Pichai struggled to articulate Google’s commitment to supporting creators. He vaguely referenced Google’s efforts to send traffic to publishers and pointed to YouTube’s Content ID program as a mechanism for compensating creators. However, his response lacked depth, sidestepping concerns about the dominance of ads, Reddit threads, and non-expert content in search results.
Is Search Facing Existential Threats?
The interviewer pressed Pichai on whether Google had leaned into AI enough, citing claims that search is “under siege” as users turn to AI platforms for answers. Pichai defended search as the backbone of the web, arguing that it remains vital in curating reliable content.
Yet, his remarks left some questions unanswered, particularly regarding how Google plans to address the devaluation of original content and the rise of AI-generated material flooding the internet.
What Lies Ahead
While Pichai provided a compelling vision for AI-powered search in 2025, his inability to address concerns about the broader ecosystem—beyond YouTube—reveals a disconnect between Google’s innovations and its impact on content creators.
The summit showcased Google’s ambitious plans but left critics questioning whether those ambitions align with the needs of the web’s diverse stakeholders.
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