Google CEO Sundar Pichai Outlines Shift Toward Agentic AI

Google CEO Sundar Pichai discussed the company's latest artificial intelligence breakthroughs and the rise of “agentic AI” during an interview with NDTV ^[1].

This shift represents a transition from AI that simply provides information to systems that can execute complex tasks independently. Such a transformation could fundamentally change how users interact with software and manage digital workflows across the web.

Speaking from the Google I/O 2026 venue in Mountain View, California, Pichai focused on the conceptual leap toward agentic systems ^[2]. He said these developments are the foundation for a new phase of AI evolution ^[1].

Agentic AI differs from standard generative models by its ability to act as an agent. While previous iterations of AI focused on answering queries, these new systems are designed to navigate processes and complete goals with minimal human intervention ^[3].

Pichai said that the announcements made during this month's conference could be remembered as the moment Google established the groundwork for this technology ^[1]. The discussions took place amid the broader events of Google I/O 2026, where the company showcased its latest software and hardware integrations ^[2].

The move toward agentic AI is part of a broader industry trend to move beyond chatbots. By creating systems that can reason through multi-step problems, Google aims to integrate its AI more deeply into the operating systems and applications users use daily ^[3].

Pichai said the current breakthroughs are essential for the next big transformation in AI ^[1]. The focus remains on scaling these capabilities while maintaining the infrastructure necessary to support autonomous digital agents ^[2].