Google CEO Sundar Pichai says securing compute for 2027 is incredibly difficult

Google has more money to spend on AI infrastructure than most countries spend on roads. It still can’t conjure data centers out of thin air. Speaking on the Big Technology Podcast, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said lining up compute capacity for customers planning around 2027 is a serious challenge. He called the situation “incredibly difficult,” which is a striking admission from a company whose guidance calls for $195–205 billion in capital spending in 2026. A 2024 plan meeting 2027 demand Pichai’s core point is about timing. The compute Google can offer today was locked in by decisions the company made back in 2024. At that point, the full wave of agentic AI demand had not yet arrived. Agentic AI refers to systems that carry out multi-step tasks on their own, rather than answering a single prompt and stopping. Data centers come with extended lead times, so a capacity decision made today pays off years later. Demand, meanwhile, moves on a much shorter clock. Pichai said Google has leaned on short-term leases to help customers in the meantime. According to the research findings, the company started using that approach as early as 2025. Research first, revenue second Pichai also indi...