Speaking at the UN Summit of the Future, Google CEO Sundar Pichai described AI as “the most transformative technology yet” and announced a $120 million Global AI Opportunity Fund to support AI education and training worldwide.

Pichai outlined four key areas where AI can drive sustainable development: improving access to information in native languages, accelerating scientific breakthroughs, providing climate disaster alerts, and boosting economic growth. He also acknowledged the risks of AI, such as deep fakes, but did not address its environmental impact.

To prevent an “AI divide,” Pichai underlined the importance of making AI education accessible through partnerships with local nonprofits and NGOs. He also advocated for “smart product regulation” to mitigate potential harms and avoid protectionist policies, warning that poor regulation could limit the benefits of AI and deepen the divide.