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Why Sundar Pichai Isn’t the Right CEO for Google Anymore—And Who Should Replace Him
The Case for Pichai: It Used Make Sense
Sundar Pichai kept Google steady. He:
- Launched Chrome and Android updates.
- Navigated antitrust hearings without becoming a meme.
- Streamlined Alphabet’s corporate sprawl.
- Oversaw Google Cloud’s rise from joke to viable #3.
That’s all great. But the next phase of Google’s life isn’t about keeping the lights on—it’s about building the next internet.
And Sundar? I feel like he’s more of a spreadsheet CEO than a Steve Jobs.
The AI Race Isn’t About Optics—It’s About Speed and Conviction
While OpenAI shipped ChatGPT and Microsoft nuked search with Copilot, Google responded with:
- Bard (late, weird, sucks)
- Gemini (rebrand of Bard, still weird, still sucks compared to the competition)
- A memo from Sundar about “refocusing” on AI (again)
- Layoffs. Then more layoffs.
- A 20-slide deck on the ethics of AI toothbrushes.
When your rivals are shipping models weekly, PowerPoints don’t cut it.
Google’s running AI like a university department. But this is a street fight, not a seminar.
Execution Drift: From Product-Led to Process-Lost
Let’s not pretend:
- YouTube innovation has slowed.
- Waymo is the flying car of the 2010s—still not here.
- Fitbit integration went nowhere.
- Search is bloated with ads and SEO sludge.
- Pixel phones still feel like they’re in beta.
Even the cleanest financials can’t hide the fact that Google is starting to feel like IBM: polite, process-heavy, and just fast enough to miss everything.
So… Who Should Replace Sundar?
We’re glad you asked. Here are five real options, each with a different strength:
1. Thomas Kurian – CEO of Google Cloud
Why it works:
Kurian took Google Cloud from laughingstock to real contender. He’s product-minded, decisive, and used to fighting AWS and Microsoft tooth-and-nail.
Risk:
Might be too enterprise-focused—but at least he ships.
2. Demis Hassabis – CEO of DeepMind
Why it works:
This guy built AlphaFold and is one of the few AI thinkers who also knows how to lead a research org at scale. He’s what Pichai wishes he sounded like during Gemini launches.
Risk:
More science-forward than user-product obsessed. Might need a COO-level partner to execute commercially.
3. Marissa Mayer 2.0
Why it works:
Yes, she flamed out at Yahoo. But that was Yahoo. At Google, she was product royalty. With experience, scars, and nothing to lose, a return could bring fire and founder-style hunger.
Risk:
Brand baggage. But so did Steve Jobs before his second act.
4. Kevin Scott – Microsoft CTO
Why it works:
He’s the guy actually making the AI integrations happen at Microsoft. If Google wants a wartime CTO-turned-CEO to go toe-to-toe with Redmond, this is the quiet killer.
Risk:
Would require a major poach—and he may not want the spotlight.
5. Complete Wildcard: A Startup Founder
Think Dylan Field (Figma), Alexandr Wang (Scale AI), or Mustafa Suleyman (Inflection / Microsoft now).
Why it works:
Google desperately needs founder energy. Someone who hates bureaucracy. Who codes at night. Who doesn’t give 17% of headcount to “strategy leads.” Who will blow up everything for speed.
Risk:
The culture shock would be seismic—but also maybe the point.TL;DR
- Sundar Pichai is calm, polite, competent, and cautious.
- Google needs urgent, bold, product-led leadership.
- AI, talent retention, and innovation speed are slipping.
- It’s not personal—it’s strategic. The company is too big, too important, to run on cruise control.
Final Take
Sundar Pichai isn’t a failure at all. He’s just not the leader Google needs right now.
Alphabet needs someone willing to torch sacred cows, kill bloat, and ship like their life depends on it. Because it does. OpenAI, Microsoft, and a dozen startups are coming for Google’s core business.
This isn’t about playing defense. It’s about surviving the next chapter.
And for that? Sundar might be too gentle for the job.
DISCLAIMER: This analysis of the aforementioned stock security is in no way to be construed, understood, or seen as formal, professional, or any other form of investment advice. We are simply expressing our opinions regarding a publicly traded entity.
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