and france insists uk travellers not double vaccinated must get a covid—19 test less than 2a hours before entering france. the former conservative health secretary, jeremy hunt, warns lockdown restrictions may have to be re—imposed in the autumn if case numbers continue to rise over the summer. the race to find survivors of the floods that have wreaked havoc across western europe — more than 150 people are dead — most of them in germany — hundreds of others are still missing. now on bbc news... in an in—depth interview, the bbc�*s media editor, amol rajan, speaks to google�*s ceo, sundar pichai. few people could be said to personify any of the vast new forces shaping the 21st—century,

let alone more than one. but perhaps the ceo of google, sundar pichai, can be said to embody two. born to a modest, middle—class family in south—east india, pichai is globalisation made flesh. the personification of both the indian and the american dream. and as the boss of alphabet, the parent company to google and youtube, he is uniquely qualified to detail the promise and the peril of technology in our time. valued at over $1.5 trillion, his california—based company pioneered the internet that we have today and is a global leader in both artificial intelligence and quantum computing. google delivers a vast range of products and services, from google maps and docs to gmail. pichai's total pay ranges hugely from $7 million last year to $281 million in 2019.

sundar pichai has given interviews before, but rarely as much time as this. there are no agreed questions and nothing is off limits. interview, take four. a mark. b mark. sundar, let's start by talking a bit about this moment in history. in my work for the bbc over the last few years, i've been arguing that we've been living through a kind of epoch shift. technology is central to that. when you think about your career, when you think about the pandemic we've just been through, the transformations to come, where do you think you would put us? where do you think we are as a species in the long story that is humanity? oh, it's a big question... we'll start big, and we'll get narrower as we go along. look, i've always felt there is this constant progress which comes with technology, and it almost happens whether or not humans actually want

that level of progress. i go through these thought experiments and i ask, what must it have been when the printing press was invented or during the industrial revolution? but i do think the change is accelerating, if you will. and just when you're getting used to something, things seem to be moving on beyond that. you said to the new york times in 2018, "technology doesn't solve humanity's problems, it was always naive to think so." what did you mean by that? technology is an enabler, so i think it's a powerful enabler. but i don't think it has answers to the deeper or more meaningful questions. it can shine a light on things, it can make some things better, it has a dual side to it, it can make things worse. i'm incredibly energised

by what technology can do. i felt it through my life. even through covid, looking at the vaccine technology, the fact that we could solve vaccines in a year. it's an incredible feat, so i look at those things but it still is not going to solve making sure the entire world's population gets vaccinated. that's where it's up to humans and aociety and policy making to solve problems like that. you've now been in the us forjust over a quarter of a century, and in that time there has been a revolution. the internet has transformed every aspect of our lives. one of the things you're paid to do is think long term. as you think about the next quarter of a century, how do you think a, artificial intelligence, and b, quantum computing are going to compare with the internet in terms of a total transformation of our lives? the progress in artificial intelligence, we are still in very early stages. but i view it as the most profound technology that humanity will ever develop and work on. and we have to make sure we do it

in a way that we can harness it to society's benefit. but i expect it to play a foundational role pretty much across every aspect of our lives. on the plane over here, i read an essay on artificial intelligence by henry kissinger. it was in the atlantic. the headline was, "how the enlightenment ends." and the sub—headline was, "philosophically, intellectually, in every way, human society is unprepared for the rise of artificial intelligence." do you think he's right? partly. you know, i think people always underestimate human potential, i think. humanity�*s worked through... i put myself in what would it have been to be in the 1930s? they've gone through world war i, spanish influenza, you're going through a depression, and world war ii is about to happen. so, you know, i do think today is far better than that time. and so we work through a lot of challenges. so i'm optimistic that way.

but he is right in the sense that this is a bit different than most things we have dealt with in the past. take climate change for example, we are all concerned about it now. he would have predicted something like the paris agreement, people coming together, pretty much countries from around the world. there is still a lot of work ahead but you can see the right conversation is beginning to happen and you feel the urgency, so i also see evidence that humanity rises to the occasion. so i think it will play out a similar way.- the occasion. so i think it will play out a similar way. isn't ai and climate change _ play out a similar way. isn't ai and climate change fundamentally - climate change fundamentally different in this sense. if someone drops three micro dumps are some carbon in the sky, it is bad for you and me. isn't the point about al that the different needs of different societies in different nations will use ai for different ends, and therefore artificial

intelligence isn't a sphere of cooperation, it is fear of competition. do you worry that if google, america, it doesn't take control of the future of ai, china will? i control of the future of ai, china will? , ~' , will? i definitely think they will be a competitive _ will? i definitely think they will be a competitive aspect - will? i definitely think they will be a competitive aspect to - will? i definitely think they will be a competitive aspect to it. | will? i definitely think they will. be a competitive aspect to it. they will be national security aspects to it. those are important questions. but where i draw the parallel with climate change, i don't think that al is profound enough that you are ai is profound enough that you are going to meet safety. you will again over time need globalframeworks and constructs, and everyone will be affected the same way, just like climate. and i think that is what will draw people together. we have to get there, but i do think is the world becomes more prosperous, when

there is economic growth, everyone wants the same thing at the end, to some extent. people want to do well, they want peace. so you build on those ideals and connect places together. in those ideals and connect places touether. , ., ., ., , together. in preparation for this interview. _ together. in preparation for this interview. i— together. in preparation for this interview, i spent _ together. in preparation for this interview, i spent many - together. in preparation for this interview, i spent many hours i interview, i spent many hours studying quantum computing, mostly on youtube which you are also responsible for. as i understand it from my student days, at the quantum level, particles aren't necessarily a state of matter. competing today is based on this binary distinction between zeros and ones. in quantum computing, that's going to be based on the idea you can be both zero and one and all the states in between at the same time. that's what i have just set make any sense at all, and if it does, how is that going to transform our lives? i if it does, how is that going to transform our lives?— if it does, how is that going to transform our lives? i think you did a aood 'ob transform our lives? i think you did a good job of— transform our lives? i think you did a good job of quantum _ transform our lives? i think you did a good job of quantum computing l transform our lives? i think you did i a good job of quantum computing 101. i think it is perfectly accurate. what it does is, now you assimilate,

capture the conflicts, because you can keep track of many more states at once, rather thanjust can keep track of many more states at once, rather than just zero and one. can take on a many more possibilities. that is what gives us that computational advantage to better assimilate and better understand the world. an example, when i talk about is nitrogen fertiliser. counts 40% of all energy consumption. in nature, it happens much more efficiently. we still don't quite understand how. but for us to be able to better assimilate that, quantum communicating one day can offer the chance to do that. so we can design better batteries, so that the possibilities are endless.

18 months ago, google announced it achieves quantum supremacy. your quantum computer carried out a calculation it will take a traditional computer 10,000 years to complete. 18 months on, how much more progress have you made? and what sort of advances have you made? i'm very excited at the progress. it is a long—term thing. but we are looking to do next is build something called a quantum computer. all that means is we have shown it can work, but we have to show that it can be stable enough. quantum computers are very fragile. we are just trying to design stable quantum computers, which is probably still a decade away. we are building the state—of—the—art labs and we have a clear goal, and hiring people and working towards making progress.

let's turn to some of the controversies and criticisms that you face as a company. and i want to focus on three broad lines of attack. privacy, capitalism and what you could broadly call the health of our public domain, our culture. previously, i think it would be really valuable for people to hear from the boss of google, whether or not you think privacy matters for human beings?— not you think privacy matters for human beinus? , ~ , , human beings? does it? absolutely. it is foundational _ human beings? does it? absolutely. it is foundational to _ human beings? does it? absolutely. it is foundational to everything - human beings? does it? absolutely. it is foundational to everything we i it is foundational to everything we do, and important human right. i'm glad as a society we are regulating and thinking about comprehensive privacy rights in the context of the digital age and economy we live in. i don't think we would be able to do what we do without users trusting us. we understand that. it's something we have to earn all the time. so we always felt we are

stewards of people's data. we give them control and choice. but they have to ultimately trust us to do it right. have to ultimately trust us to do it riuht. ., , .,, have to ultimately trust us to do it riuht. ., , .,, ., ~' have to ultimately trust us to do it riuht. ., , .,, ., ~ ., right. for people who think of goo . le right. for people who think of google as _ right. for people who think of google as essentially - right. for people who think of google as essentially a - right. for people who think of i google as essentially a company right. for people who think of - google as essentially a company that has built very detailed profiles of all of us and use that and sells that to advertisers. what would you say to those people who think that the way you get rich is by profiling them? i the way you get rich is by profiling them? ~ , ., ., ., them? i think most of the data... most of the _ them? i think most of the data... most of the data _ them? i think most of the data... most of the data we _ them? i think most of the data... most of the data we store - them? i think most of the data... most of the data we store today | them? i think most of the data... | most of the data we store today is in products like gmail and photos, so that we can give that information back to you when you want it. for advertising, if you think about it, wejust advertising, if you think about it, we just need limited contextual information. type digital cameras in google, understand you are looking for digital cameras, we are able to get you the right commercial information, we may need to know your information so we can give you relevant information. that is what users expect. so in some ways, it is

misunderstood. two years ago, we launched auto delete controls so that we can default delete your data continuously. you can choose to keep your data for as long as you want. we need to have principles around it, and so i think what europe did with gd pr is great to see. it gives users a framework, it gives companies a certain framework by which they can operate and comply with and give users guarantees, too. i think we will need more things like that over time, but that is how you approach innovation, too. google recently announced _ you approach innovation, too. google recently announced changes - you approach innovation, too. google recently announced changes to - you approach innovation, too. google recently announced changes to its - recently announced changes to its chrome browser is to protect consumer's privacy. it will prevent a users web browser being tracked and use a new set of tools to allow digital advertising to be targeted. some of your colleagues in europe tell me that this idea of the privacy sandbox is going to be a

really critical moment in allowing google to do what it does without needing so much users's data. can you explain how much of a leap privacy sandbox is and why it should reassure some people? as we get onto, there are some that worry it will consolidate your power further. we can invest in privacy and conserving technologies, which still allows us to give users the benefits they want, allow business models to exist on the internet which keeps it free and open, which people value. they tell us they value that. they deeply value their privacy as well. in some ways, it is the balance we are trying to strike by creating the next privacy conserving technologies.— next privacy conserving technologies. and yet uk is authority — technologies. and yet uk is authority highlighted - technologies. and yet uk is i authority highlighted concerns technologies. and yet uk is - authority highlighted concerns about it entrenching google's power. there

are times we — it entrenching google's power. there are times we work _ it entrenching google's power. there are times we work in _ it entrenching google's power. there are times we work in equal— it entrenching google's power, ij-, are times we work in equal systems where there are many players with differing views. as a company, we are making the best decision, we want to operate in a constructive way in which we can make the best decisions for our customers, and it works for us as a company. but we want other people to look at that and validate it. i do think, and the uk competition authorities looking at this, there are times when there are issues at the intersection of privacy and competition, and they are important questions and we would welcome clarity and some of these areas, too. we want to engage constructively because it will give us some time is a certainty around which way the regulator would prefer us to do it. 50 which way the regulator would prefer us to do it. ,, which way the regulator would prefer usto do it. ,, , ., us to do it. so you accept that there is a _ us to do it. so you accept that there is a possibility - us to do it. so you accept that there is a possibility that - us to do it. so you accept that there is a possibility that you | us to do it. so you accept that i there is a possibility that you are going to end up entrenching market share and you want this scrutiny because you want independent

judgment on it? irate because you want independent judgment on it?— because you want independent judgment on it? because you want independent 'udument on it? ~ ., ., , ., judgment on it? we want others to validate it. we _ judgment on it? we want others to validate it. we view _ judgment on it? we want others to validate it. we view it _ judgment on it? we want others to validate it. we view it as _ judgment on it? we want others to validate it. we view it as a - validate it. we view it as a conversation.— validate it. we view it as a conversation. ., , ., conversation. those who call you surveillance _ conversation. those who call you surveillance capitalists. - conversation. those who call you surveillance capitalists. a - conversation. those who call you surveillance capitalists. a book. surveillance capitalists. a book called the age of surveillance capitalism. with guys like

still this afternoon, with guys like these widespread across the uk. it is sunshine and hot weather that dominates. it'sjust is sunshine and hot weather that dominates. it's just really the north—west of scotland where we have a little bit of cloud working its way in, and some slightly lower temperatures, some slightly fresher air. pleasant enough for most. during this evening, there is little overall change in that story. try for the majority. after such a warm day, those temperatures are going to be slow to come down overnight. these are not the minimum temperatures but the bedtime temperatures. at 11 o'clock tonight.

that is 22 degrees celsius in cardiff and london. quite a uncomfortable sleep ahead. tomorrow we have some respite from the heat across the north—west of the country. some slightly patchy cloud coming in. so temperatures across northern areas of the uk generally into the low 20s, but still warm in anyjuly sunshine. there is high temperatures will be a little bit further southwards. temperatures will be a little bit furthersouthwards. it temperatures will be a little bit further southwards. it is going to be the hottest day of the year so far. again, after such a hot day, temperatures still at around 2a celsius at 11 o'clock, so it's going to be another uncomfortable night for sleeping in those bigger towns and cities. high pressure still dominating next week, keeping this area of low pressure well out into the atlantic, and so the story of dry, sunny, hot weather continues. for most of us long spells of sunshine. there could be the odd

isolated showers but most areas won't get that. temperatures widely low to mid temperatures across all temperatures of the uk. perhaps even the low 30s in the hottest areas. that pattern continues well into next week, with the weather think mostly dry. just the risk of one or two isolated thunderstorms. most of us will stay fine and dry. the hot weather is here to stay, but those temperatures will gradually ease off by a few degrees as we head deeper into next week. that's your latest weather. this is bbc news with this is bbc news with the latest headlines... the latest headlines... the health secretary sajid javid the health secretary sajid javid says he has tested says he has tested positive for coronavirus positive for coronavirus and is experiencing "mild" symptoms. and is experiencing "mild" symptoms.

i was feeling a bit groggy last i was feeling a bit groggy last night, so i took a lateralflow test night, so i took a lateralflow test and it has come out positive, so i have now died in severe and it has come out positive, so i am now self isolating at home with am now self isolating at home with my family until i get the result of my family until i get the result of a pcr test. a pcr test. travel firms criticise travel firms criticise the government's decision to keep the government's decision to keep quarantine rules in place quarantine rules in place for travellers returning to england for travellers returning to england and wales from france — and wales from france — even if they are fully vaccinated. even if they are fully vaccinated. pop—up vaccine centres open pop—up vaccine centres open in venues across england this in venues across england this weekend in a push to get more people weekend in a push to get more people vaccinated before the country vaccinated before the country unlocks next week. unlocks next week. more than 150 people more than 150 people have now died in severe floods across western europe with hundreds of people remaining unaccounted for, as the waters begin to recede in some areas. european leaders blame the extreme weather on climate change. experts say global warming makes torrential rainfall more likely.