Google CEO Sundar Pichai spoke at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 21, highlighting the potential of AI to support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). During his address, Pichai outlined Google’s initiatives that harness AI for positive global impact, stressing the need for partnerships to ensure technology’s benefits are accessible to everyone.
Pichai showcased key projects, such as the expansion of Google Translate, which added 110 new languages in just one year, and the role of AlphaFold, Google’s AI-driven tool that predicts protein and DNA structures. AlphaFold has already aided more than 25,000 Brazilian researchers and is globally contributing to scientific research, such as improving crop resistance to diseases.
Additionally, Pichai introduced the “Early Alerts for All” system, developed in line with a UN initiative to provide early warnings for climate disasters up to seven days in advance, aiming to help those in disaster-prone regions prepare more effectively.
AI Divide Risks and Prevention
Sundar Pichai also addressed the limitations of AI, such as issues with accuracy, factual reliability, and bias, as well as concerns over the creation of deepfakes and the future of work. As a solution, he emphasized the importance of responsible AI development and implementation, referencing Google’s own AI Principles, which the company has adhered to since 2018.
Pichai also spoke about gaps in AI accessibility, warning that digital exclusion could deepen societal divisions caused by artificial intelligence. He proposed three key solutions to bridge this divide. First, he stressed the need for digital infrastructure, citing investments in submarine and underground fiber cables. Second, he highlighted access to computing, mentioning how Google is opening its Android and Gemma AI technology to developers and researchers.
Finally, he underscored the importance of investing in people, referencing Google’s “Grow with Google” initiative, which has trained over 100 million people globally in digital skills.
Pichai concluded by calling for a political environment that both addresses the risks and concerns associated with AI while encouraging innovation that can improve lives on a large scale.
 on September 21, highlighting the potential of AI){kind=link}