Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai told 60 Minutes that the United States “must take the lead” in artificial intelligence and “develop it boldly and responsibly so every American benefits.” He tied that call to the country’s 250th anniversary, saying AI is among the most profound technologies yet and that America has a history of creating technologies that improve lives.
Pichai pointed to early signs of AI’s promise: researchers using it to discover life‑saving cures, teachers customizing lesson plans to help students learn, and firefighters tracking wildfires with greater precision. He offered a personal example — his father, a retired engineer in his 80s, was awestruck by a safe self‑driving car ride in San Francisco, which Pichai called “magical.”
At the same time, Pichai acknowledged challenges. He said policymakers, companies and communities must invest in workforce training and put appropriate regulations in place to manage risks and ensure benefits are widely shared. He expressed optimism not simply because of technology, but because of people and “the sheer power of American ingenuity.”
