Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai admitted that even Google may not survive untouched if a global AI bubble burst occurs.
His unexpected caution came during a BBC interview that has since stirred deep concern across financial and technology circles.
Moreover, his remarks landed at a time when investors are already uneasy about recent sharp drops in global markets.
Pichai explained that the rapid rise in AI investment has been driven by what he described as “irrationality.”
This trend has powered a major market rally this year; however, fears continue to grow that the boom may not last.
Asked whether Google could be caught in the fallout, he stated, “I think no company is going to be immune, including us.”
In addition, the interview addressed long-standing concerns about the speed of AI development.
These concerns included accuracy issues, job losses, rising energy use and new pressures on global climate goals.
Pichai noted that AI systems “require immense energy,” adding that AI already consumed 1.5 percent of the world’s electricity last year, according to data from the International Energy Agency.
He further warned that energy demand could rise to 200 gigawatts by 2030.
This amount matches Brazil’s yearly electricity use.
Meanwhile, nearly half of this expected demand is projected to come from the United States.
The rush to build large data centres has increased the strain, with each centre needing huge numbers of chips and strong cooling systems.
Therefore, competition among global powers has grown intense.
Pichai said that new energy sources must be created and global infrastructure must be strengthened to handle the rising pressure.
He admitted that Alphabet’s climate timeline would face delays because of AI’s power needs.
Yet he insisted the company remains focused on reaching carbon neutrality by 2030.
Furthermore, he predicted major changes ahead for the global workforce.
These changes, he said, could reshape even high-level positions.
He added that people who learn to use AI tools “will do better,” regardless of their job title.
His message suggested that adaptation will be key for workers in every field.
Alphabet has seen strong revenue growth, with quarterly earnings passing $100 billion in October.
This growth has been supported by rising demand for AI tools.
The company has also expanded its investment in AI infrastructure and pushed out new AI features across Google Search and its Gemini models.
