Amidst a grim forecast for the global IT industry in the wake of massive global layoffs owing to a vast adoption of AI tools and preparing for an uncertain economic situation up front, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has delivered a big message to all employees for 2025. Pichai, in an internal memo to employees, stated a clear directive: “I think we have to accomplish more.”
This mandate, which was communicated during an internal town hall and reiterated in a company-wide memo, has hinted at a renewed and intensified focus on productivity, innovation, and corporate responsibility across the company’s global offices.
Pichai’s latest call to action comes at a crucial moment for both Google and its parent company, Alphabet. The tech landscape is presently witnessing escalating competition in news sectors like artificial intelligence and cloud services, all while economic challenges continue to make big firms restructure their existing human workforces.
Pichai calls on employees for leadership and innovation
In his message, Pichai said that “The world is looking to Google for leadership and responsible innovation.” To meet these expectations, employees are being urged to challenge their own capabilities, work more intelligently, and elevate the standards for success within their roles.
Looking ahead, Google plans to strategically prioritise significant investments in key areas. These include ambitious “big bets” in artificial intelligence, groundbreaking climate technology, and the development of next-generation search experiences. Pichai stressed the importance of accelerating execution, aiming to transition ideas into realities at a much faster pace.
Furthermore, he highlighted the necessity of optimising internal processes, actively reducing redundancies, and maximizing overall team output, with a specific focus on reviewing projects to ensure their alignment with Google’s strategic goals.
Google urges employees to be ‘AI-savvy’
According to Brian Saluzzo, a key focus is on providing robust tools for software engineers (SWEs) to help “everybody at Google be more AI-savvy.”
“We feel the urgency to really quickly and urgently get AI into more of the coding workflows to address top needs so you see a much more rapid increase in velocity,” Saluzzo stated, highlighting the company’s push for accelerated development through AI.
To support this ambitious goal, Saluzzo highlighted that Google has curated a comprehensive portfolio of AI products specifically designed for employee use, enabling “folks to go faster.” He specifically mentioned an internal platform named “AI Savvy Google.” This platform serves as a central hub offering a variety of resources, including specialised courses, practical toolkits, and interactive learning sessions.