Tech pioneer Susan Wojcicki passes away at 56

The tech world mourns the loss of Susan Wojcicki, (pictured above), a pioneering woman in the emerging technology industry and former head of YouTube, who passed away at the age of 56. She had been battling non-small-cell lung cancer for over two years.  Wojcicki was among the first employees of Google and played a pivotal role in the company’s history. Her demise was announced by Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet, expressing deep sorrow over her passing.

Wojcicki’s journey with Google began in 1998 when she rented her garage in Menlo Park to Google’s founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page. This marked the inception of the tech giant. She later left her position at Intel to join Google as its 16th employee.

Leading YouTube was not without challenges

In her illustrious career, Wojcicki led YouTube, a subsidiary of Google, for nine years until 2023. She decided to step down to devote time to her family, health, and personal interests. Despite the male-dominated tech industry, Wojcicki held a high-ranking position and advocated for more female participation in the field. She once expressed concern about the low percentage of women in the tech industry and the small number of young females who chose to pursue technical degrees.

However, her tenure at YouTube was not without challenges. The platform was criticized for its handling of online misinformation, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, several fact-checking organizations accused YouTube of being a significant source of online disinformation and misinformation.

Wojcicki decided to step down from her position at YouTube in 2023 to “focus on her personal life and health”. Her husband, Dennis Troper, announced her passing with deep sadness, revealing that she had been living with non-small-cell lung cancer for two years. Wojcicki leaves behind a legacy in the tech industry, and her contributions will continue to influence future generations.