The idea of ‘women in tech’ used to be groundbreaking, but these days it’s more about what you do with it after reaching those rooms of power. With the world in the midst of an uncharted age of AI, it’s more vital than ever that advancements in tech are bridged with human good. That’s what drives Sapna Chadha, Google’s vice-president of Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier at Google since 2023. In this role, Chadha looks after all the tech giant’s consumer and business products in over 10 markets, with a particular passion for building—in this very moment when change is happening—a digital future for the region that is holistic, equitable and diverse.

⁠What drives you as a changemaker?

What drives me is seeing technology become a bridge for human potential. I recently received a letter from a young man named Kristiyanto. He grew up in a farming village in rural Java, raised by his grandmother while his parents worked abroad. With no internet at home, he taught himself English by watching YouTube and became familiar and interested in tech by watching our developer event Google I/O.

He used a second-hand Android phone to find a university scholarship that changed his life. Today, he supports our work at Google, helping bring our AI tools to over a million students in Indonesia and enabling them through technology. Google’s mission has always been to make information accessible and useful for everyone, and his story reminds us why this mission is timeless and so important in this AI era. He’s someone who used that access to create his own opportunity and is now working to bring our most advanced AI tools to the next generation.

That’s my North Star and what drives me! It’s not just about building products; it’s about building pathways to unlock human potential so that the next great idea can come from anywhere and anyone.

A lot of your work these days centres on the AI revolution and how it will shape lives and businesses. How are you navigating a field that is so relatively new and that seems to be changing all the time?

Having navigated both the digital and mobile revolutions, I’ve learnt that the most important skill is becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable. Right now, leading in the world’s most dynamic, mobile-first markets puts us on the global front line for this new AI revolution. It gives you a clear view of the modern paradox: having more options has made it harder, not easier, to move forward. That’s why my focus is on shifting our mission from democratising information to democratising intelligence.

It reminds me of what Larry Page once said: “If you’re not doing some things that are crazy, then you’re doing the wrong things.” For me, the crazy thing isn’t just building the technology; it’s applying it with the audacious goal of turning overwhelming noise into confident action. That’s the mission that guides my work and it requires staying relentlessly curious and learning fast—not just to keep up with the future, but to ensure we’re the ones writing it.

There is love and hate for AI in equal measure—it happens often to new and emerging technology that challenges norms—and many strong arguments on both ends. How do you envision this tech will be adopted and integrated in our lives, say, five to 10 years down the line?

I envision AI moving beyond a tool you have to think about to one that works seamlessly for you in the background. That’s when it becomes a great equaliser. It will be a tool that empowers a weaver in a rural village to manage global logistics, enables a doctor in a remote clinic to instantly consult the world’s medical research, and connects all of us to brands and creators
that align with our values.

But to get there, we have to cut through the current hype and hesitation. The economic opportunity is staggering—up to US$3 trillion for the region by 2030. But that number is meaningless if it doesn’t translate into real-world progress. For me, the most powerful metric isn’t a number. It’s our AI-powered flood forecasting in countries like Vietnam and Thailand, providing timely warnings that help save lives in the world’s most disaster-prone region. When you focus on solving fundamental human challenges like that, the debate over the technology fades. The hype becomes hope and hesitation turns into action.

Not too long ago, there was a definite high of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts across not just tech but all corporations. I read that you previously helped pen inclusion principles in marketing for Google. The spotlight and priority seems to have shifted now, though. Is the DEI era over?

My focus has always been on redesigning the entire room. For me, that means moving beyond separate initiatives and embedding inclusive principles directly into our core business strategy. So when we build a Chromebook assembly line in Pakistan, we’re not just shipping products; we’re creating educational equity by making technology more accessible. And when a female entrepreneur in a small village uses AI to help compete globally, that’s not just a feature; it’s an act of economic inclusion. The work hasn’t stopped, it has become the work.

⁠⁠Looking forward, what change are you most excited to see in your industry and how can we get there?

I’m seeing every day how AI can improve the lives of people and help to solve challenges right here in Southeast Asia. Our latest e-Conomy SEA report (a research programme by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company that tracks digital transformation in Southeast Asia) shows this is the most ‘AI-curious’ region in the world. That curiosity is the most incredible opportunity we have, but it also comes with a profound responsibility: to ensure the last decade’s ‘tech divide’ doesn’t become this decade’s ‘AI divide’.

So, the change I’m most excited to see is the intentional closure of that divide. We have the tools to not just bridge it, but to engineer its closure by building together with our diverse global audience, not just for them. This requires a three-part blueprint: mass AI skilling; foundational infrastructure; and smart, pro-innovation partnerships. It’s an ecosystem challenge, and building an inclusive AI future is the most exciting one we have.