Dispelling growing fears about automation, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian has said that artificial intelligence (AI) will empower workers rather than replace them. In an interview with tech newsletter Big Technology, Kurian emphasised that AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance human capability, not as a threat to jobs.
“I think there is definitely a middle ground,” Kurian said, countering widespread predictions that AI could lead to mass layoffs in the technology sector. “The purpose of AI is to enhance human capabilities rather than replace people outright,” he added.
AI expanding jobs, not cutting them
As reported by Hindustan Times, Kurian pointed to Google’s Customer Engagement Suite, a collection of AI-powered customer service tools, as proof that AI adoption can coexist with employment growth. He revealed that despite early client fears, “almost none of our clients have let anyone go.”
Instead of cutting staff, businesses have used AI to handle small or repetitive queries, freeing human employees to focus on higher-value tasks. “AI is expanding what businesses can do for customers, not shrinking teams,” Kurian explained, noting how the technology has opened new avenues for engagement and innovation.
Productivity boost for engineers
Kurian’s perspective aligns with Google CEO Sundar Pichai’s remarks earlier this year. In June, during an appearance on the Lex Fridman Podcast, Pichai said AI has led to a 10 per cent increase in productivity among Google’s engineers. He also disclosed that AI now helps generate over 30 per cent of new code at Google, up from 25 per cent last year.
As quoted by Hindustan Times, Pichai said Google plans to hire more engineers, not fewer, because “the opportunity space of what we can do is expanding.” Kurian echoed this optimism, asserting that AI is removing repetitive work and allowing people to focus on creative and strategic innovation.
“The future,” Kurian concluded, “is not about humans versus AI — it’s about humans with AI.”
