Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has said that artificial intelligence is advancing so quickly that it may not only transform jobs across industries but could also replace top corporate leaders in the future. In a recent interview with the BBC, he spoke about how the technology will rapidly evolve over the next year and why individuals must keep updating their skills to stay relevant.
AI may take over complex executive roles
Pichai said that AI could eventually perform many responsibilities handled by top executives. When asked whether artificial intelligence could replace even his own role, he smiled and remarked that the work done by a CEO is certainly among the tasks that AI may handle with ease one day. He described AI as one of the most powerful and deeply influential technologies developed in human history, with the potential to reshape societies and employment structures.
Growing impact on jobs and skills
Pichai noted that the rise of AI will lead to multiple shifts in the job market. Some roles will disappear, many roles will change, and new jobs will emerge in future industries. He stressed that constant learning is essential for people to benefit from these shifts.
Key drivers influencing this transformation:
- Expansion of AI-powered tools across industries
- Increasing automation of routine and analytical tasks
- Demand for more digital and hybrid skills
- Emergence of completely new job categories
- Need for continuous upskilling to match AI capabilities
Tech industry sees rise of automation discourse
Pichai’s comments align with views expressed by other global tech leaders who believe that AI can take on responsibilities at the highest levels of leadership.
- OpenAI chief Sam Altman has said that AI may one day perform his job better than him
- Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski believes AI can handle almost all roles, including his own
- A survey by an online learning platform found that 49 percent of 500 CEOs think most of their responsibilities can be automated by AI
These discussions have also sparked a term within the tech world: Chief Executive Automation, which reflects growing acceptance of AI-assisted decision-making at leadership levels.
AI still cannot fully replace humans
Despite these predictions, not everyone in the industry agrees that AI can take over completely. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes that while artificial intelligence can perform certain tasks a thousand times more efficiently than humans, it still cannot replicate the full range of human capability. He argued that AI lacks the complete emotional, contextual and intuitive depth that human leaders bring to complex decisions.
Some areas where human roles remain essential:
- Ethical judgement and accountability
- Crisis management and high-stakes negotiations
- Human connection and team leadership
- Multi-layered decision-making based on experience
- Strategic choices requiring deep context
Future shaped by balance of humans and AI
As AI continues to evolve, experts believe the future will be shaped by a balanced partnership between human intelligence and machine efficiency. While AI may reduce workloads and drive faster decision-making, human insight, empathy and responsibility will remain vital.
Pointers shaping the future landscape:
- Companies will rely more on AI to handle data-heavy tasks
- Leadership roles may shift toward oversight of AI-driven processes
- Workforce training will become a continuous requirement
- Organisations may invest more in ethical and responsible AI use
- AI-human collaboration will form the backbone of next-generation workplaces
