In a timely message amid growing anxieties over artificial intelligence's role in the workforce, Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian has emphasised that AI is designed to enhance human productivity rather than trigger mass layoffs.
Speaking in an interview with the tech newsletter Big Technology, Kurian addressed fears of widespread job automation, particularly in customer service and engineering roles. He highlighted Google Cloud's Customer Engagement Suite, an AI-powered tool launched last year to streamline customer interactions. Initial concerns from clients centered on potential reductions in staff, but Kurian noted that the technology has instead expanded teams' scope by tackling routine queries that agents previously avoided.
"Almost none of our clients have let anyone go," Kurian said, recounting reactions to the suite. When users asked, "Does this mean we won't need customer service agents anymore?" he clarified that the answer is a firm no, as AI frees humans to focus on more complex, creative tasks.
Kurian further dismissed extreme predictions of job displacement, stating, "I think there is definitely a middle ground." He described AI's role as bridging "the gap between what workers can do today and what they aspire to do in the future," enabling companies to achieve more without shrinking headcounts.
This perspective aligns with broader trends at Google, where CEO Sundar Pichai recently reported a 10% productivity boost for engineers using AI tools, leading to plans for additional hires rather than cuts. Over 30% of new Google code is now AI-generated, yet the company continues to grow its workforce.
Kurian's comments come as tech giants invest heavily in AI, with debates raging over its long-term employment effects. For now, he positions it as an amplifier of human potential, urging professionals to view it as a partner in innovation.
