Sundar Pichai Insists Deepfakes Are His Main AI Worry

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said his top worry about AI is that it could be used by bad actors to create very realistic fake images and videos. He noted that AI can do much good, but it also brings serious risks.

“Any technology, you know, has a dual side to it,” Pichai said. He pointed to benefits like faster drug discovery and better cancer treatments, but said the danger from misuse remains a big concern.

Pichai named the rise of convincing deepfakes as the issue that keeps him awake at night. He said he fears people will use AI to make fake content that looks real and can fool many people.

“Those are the kind of things you know, you sit and think about, and the journey of humanity is always, ‘How do you harness technology to benefit society?’ And I think this technology is no different,” he added.

Pichai also spoke about how he checks the public reaction to new Google products. He looks at user comments and social media to see how people are using a product after launch. “I’m pretty active on launch day trying to understand what’s working. I’m looking for feedback. I’m on X trying to understand [and] see if people, average users, how they’re experiencing the product.”