• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

3

Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’

1

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

2

Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less

3

Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Tech40 Under 40

Google’s AI Chief Is ‘Definitely Not Worried About the AI Apocalypse’

By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Tom Huddleston Jr.
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 20, 2017, 12:26 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg isn’t the only tech bigwig who isn’t sweating the possibility of Skynet becoming self-aware.

Zuckerberg, who spent the summer sparring with Tesla’s Elon Musk over the risks of ever-advancing artificial intelligence in our technology, got some support from Google’s head of search and AI, John Giannandrea, who spoke recently about what he called the “huge amount of unwarranted hype around AI right now.” Speaking at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, Giannandrea echoed some of the Facebook co-founder’s recent statements dismissing doomsday scenarios in which AI-empowered machines pose an inherent existential threat to their human creators.

“This leap into, ‘Somebody is going to produce a superhuman intelligence, and then there’s going to be all these ethical issues’ is unwarranted and borderline irresponsible,” Giannandrea said at the conference. Google’s AI chief added: “I’m definitely not worried about the AI apocalypse.”

Giannandrea went on to explain the importance of machine learning and artificial intelligence in revolutionizing the technology industry. Google uses AI to power features like Google Translate, the online tool that can instantly translate both spoken words and typed text, as well as products that help users search for new jobs online and provide you with ready-made replies to messages in Google’s Gmail, among countless other applications.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Zuckerberg’s Facebook, meanwhile, uses AI to power its own language translation tools and the company recently announced plans to open an artificial intelligence lab in Montreal—its fourth such outpost—as Facebook continues to show increased interest in AI and deep learning.

Tesla’s Musk, however, has been a vocal skeptic when it comes to AI, with the tech leader going so far as to challenge Zuckerberg on the issue over the summer. Musk said the Facebook CEO’s “understanding of the subject is limited” while warning of the need to regulate AI. Those comments touched off something of a passive-aggressive debate between the two Silicon Valley giants, with Zuckerberg calling them “pretty irresponsible” and later referring to “people who are naysayers and try to drum up these doomsday scenarios” while continuing to express his optimism that AI can only improve the ways that humans make use of technology.

For his part, Google’s Giannandrea rejects the “hype” from those questioning the safety of AI, with the Google AI chief even having compared the current state of artificial intelligence systems to a preschooler. “They’re not nearly as general purpose as a 4-year-old child,” he said.

About the Author
By Tom Huddleston Jr.
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Digital transformation technology strategy, IoT, internet of things. Businessman using smart phone with AI and Digital Icons design.
AICFO Daily
Top CFOs warn AI success depends on training employees, not just buying technology
By Sheryl EstradaJune 25, 2026
2 hours ago
Samin Menon (left) Neil Movva (right)
Startups & VentureVenture Capital
Exclusive: A former Apple engineer thinks AI infrastructure is built for the wrong future. Investors just gave him $80 million to fix it
By Lily Mae LazarusJune 25, 2026
3 hours ago
Lux Capital cofounder Josh Wolfe’s limited-odds, high-stakes 2027 predictions
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Lux Capital cofounder Josh Wolfe’s limited-odds, high-stakes 2027 predictions
By Allie GarfinkleJune 25, 2026
4 hours ago
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
InvestingMarkets
Micron drives global rally tech stock rally as traders abandon their fear of an AI bubble
By Jim EdwardsJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman (left) and Broadcom CEO Hock Tan holding their new AI chip, “Jalapeño.” (Photo courtesy OpenAI)
NewslettersFortune Tech
OpenAI and Broadcom’s AI chip has a name: Jalapeño
By Andrew NuscaJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago
What bubble? JPMorgan says the $5.5 trillion AI capex explosion is profitable–for now
AIFinance
What bubble? JPMorgan says the $5.5 trillion AI capex explosion is profitable–for now
By Sheryl EstradaJune 25, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
Retail
Amazon's record Prime Day masks a darker truth: Americans are spending more and getting less
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
24 hours ago
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
Asia
Ray Dalio just finished a 10-day trip to China. He says global leaders know America ‘doesn’t have what it takes to fight to maintain its empire’
By Nick LichtenbergJune 24, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
8 hours ago
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
Success
After forcing workers back to the office, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase are now letting their staff work remotely—but only for the World Cup
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 23, 2026
2 days ago
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
Economy
Trump’s international student crackdown kicked off a domino effect that could shave nearly $500 billion off the economy
By Tristan BoveJune 24, 2026
20 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.