AI had its breakout five years ago. Now another big tech explosion is taking off — here's what Sundar Pichai predicts

Google CEO Sundar Pichai may have dropped a rare hint about what comes after the AI boom, saying that quantum computing is approaching the same breakthrough moment Artificial Intelligence (AI) hit five years ago.

In a recent interview aired on BBC Newsnight a week ago, Pichai said the company's quantum programme is reaching a tipping point, stating, “I would say quantum is there where maybe AI was 5 years ago. So I think in five years from now we'll be going through a very exciting phase in quantum.”

He added that Google is pouring major investments into this next phase. For investors hunting for the next big “AI-level” boom before everyone else sees it coming, his comments have sparked speculation about the future of deep tech on social media.

What can quantum computing achieve?

Sundar Pichai described quantum computing as a fundamental shift, not just another tech upgrade. He told the BBC that Google is leading the field in quantum research, and since things like nature and the universe are fundamentally based on the principles of quantum mechanics, it can contribute to many societal benefits.

“We have the state-of-the-art quantum computing efforts in the world…building quantum systems I think will help us better simulate and understand nature and unlock many benefits for society,” he added.

This on-record statement from a top Big Tech CEO putting a timeline on when quantum could become commercial comes shortly after Alphabet Inc’s Google developed an algorithm called “Quantum Echoes” on its “Willow” quantum computing chip — a system the company claims can replicate on similar systems and even outperform classical supercomputers.

Quantum computing is an advanced form of computation that uses quantum mechanics to solve complex problems, comparatively faster than classical computers.

What are netizens saying about Sundar Pichai's remarks?

Several investors and netizens have been chit-chatting about the future of quantum, and even coming up with their own theories, ever since the interview video went viral.

An X user posted, “This sounds exactly like the early-AI hints nobody took seriously — right before valuations went vertical. When CEOs speak this openly, the groundwork is already in place.”

Another person added to the speculation, saying, “If Sundar is right and quantum is now is where AI was ~2020, we’re about to see the same insane exponential explosion but in a completely different dimension. AI went from ‘kinda useful’ to rewriting the entire world in 4–5 years. Quantum about to do the same to encryption, drug discovery, materials science, logistics… everything.”

A netizen also made their own prediction, stating, “My prediction: 2020s age of AI software. 2030s the age of AI robots. 2040s rinse and repeat with Quantum.”