It is a moral imperative to get more women into tech: Pichai

When it comes to gender equality at work, it is a "moral imperative" to get more women into technology, Indian-born Google CEO Sundar Pichai said here on Wednesday.

On a question whether Google would be prepared to pay more tax, Pichai said that tax is a big question.

"We pay close to 20 per cent in tax, we're happy to pay a higher amount, whatever the world agrees on. It's not an issue of what tax you pay, it's how you divide it," Pichai said during a discussion during the World Economic Forum (WEF) here.

Pichai says he is an optimist for the future of Internet, technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

"AI is probably the most important thing humanity has ever worked on. I think of it as something more profound than electricity or fire," he said.

Born in Chennai and educated at the Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur and then Stanford University, Pichai took the helm at Google two years ago.

Pichai said last week he does not regret firing James Damore, a former employee who was ousted from the company last year for criticising the tech giant for its diversity policy.

Asked about Google's decision to fire Damore during an interview with MSNBC, Pichai said. "I don't regret it. It was the right decision."

Damore, who was ousted for writing a 10-page anti-diversity memo last year, filed a class-action lawsuit against Google this month, claiming that it discriminates against white men.

Pichai had earlier described Damore's memo as "offensive".

--IANS

na/vd