Google CEO Sundar Pichai, arrives for a US Senate bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on September 13, 2023. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
Google paid $8.27 million for CEO Sundar Pichai’s personal security in 2024, according to a new filing with the the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
That figure is up nearly 22% from $6.78 million in 2023, due in part to a number of security measures taken during Pichai’s busy year.
“In 2024, Sundar’s security arrangements included residential security and consultation fees, security monitoring services, car and driver services, and personal security during all travel,” Alphabet’s 2025 proxy statement reads. “We believe these arrangements and costs are reasonable, appropriate, necessary and in the best interests of Alphabet and its stockholders, as they mitigate risks to our business.”
The document went on to say “we do not consider these additional security arrangements to be a personal benefit to Sundar because they arise from the nature of his employment responsibilities.”
Google declined to comment.
The increase came as Pichai traveled extensively in 2024, often speaking with world leaders about technological advancements, including artificial intelligence. Google — which generated 12% higher revenue in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the year prior — is at the center of an AI arms race and its position in the search market may be threatened by AI competition and mounting regulation.
Including stock awards, Pichai’s total compensation was $10.73 million during the 2024 fiscal year, according to the proxy. That’s up from $8.8 million the previous year.
It’s unclear how Google has changed its security spending for Pichai in 2025, but at least a dozen S&P 500 companies have increased security costs as more companies see heightened threats to their top brass following the December murder of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, according to a recent Reuters analysis.
Besides Pichai, Alphabet’s legal chief Kent Walker received nearly $30.2 million in total compensation last year, according to the filing. That’s up from $27.3 million the previous year. Alphabet’s new finance chief Anat Ashkenazi’s received a total compensation of about $50 million, which included a nearly $10 million bonus.
The average total compensation for Google’s full-time employees was $331,894, a 5% increase from the previous year’s average of $315,531.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/google-increased-ceo-sundar-pichais-security-costs-by-22percent.html
