Sundar Pichai says Google is 'moving fast' with AI — but explains why it might need to slow down at times

• Google boss Sundar Pichai says the company is moving boldly but cautiously with its AI efforts.
• In an interview with a YouTuber, Pichai discussed the balance of fast innovation and responsibility.
• Google's AI misstep with Gemini and competitive pressure may be behind the need for such a balance.

Google is "moving boldly" with its AI efforts but is proceeding cautiously.

CEO Sundar Pichai said the company is trying to balance "moving fast" with being responsible, and that could mean it would need to slow down the launch of future AI tools.

In a recent interview with YouTuber Varun Mayya, Pichai said, "I think with a technology like that, which is developing fast, you have to ride the curve where you're pushing, but also be as responsible, but there is some trade-off."

He explained that the positive reaction is "why you see us moving fast, but there will be moments when we feel 'okay, maybe, this technology, it's important to spend more time getting this right."

He added, "On the balance, yes, we are moving boldly."

Pichai also said the public response to the AI-infused products it's been rolling out, such as AI overviews on Search, gives the company confidence that it's moving in the right direction.

The comments come after a blunder with Google Gemini's text-to-image generator earlier in the year that saw it generate historically inaccurate images, which led to the company pausing its wider launch.

Pichai later said, "We got it wrong," which could have caused the company to be more wary of releasing new products before they're ready.

Like other Big Tech firms, Google is under pressure to ship AI products fast to gain a competitive edge in the AI race. The companies — including Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple — are pouring a lot of money into AI and making strategic changes to give them a leg up.

A recent Bernstein research note said the companies are on track to invest a combined $200 billion this year in AI infrastructure, equipment, and real estate. Google alone is spending $1.1 billion expanding its main data center in Finland, Bloomberg reported.

In April, Google reshuffled its leadership team in to accelerate the company's progress. It merged its platforms and devices unit into one team to focus on Android, Chrome, and gadgets. Last year, the tech giant also merged its two AI research groups, Google Brain and DeepMind, into one new team called Google DeepMind.

Google didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.