AI priorities and a tech-dummy's concerns

I recently heard Sundar Pichai speak about whats coming up next from the Google stable. I am amazed at this talk and truly appreciate what Google in particular and AI in general are doing. Its really smart, and revolutionary. However, I must admit it is unsettling and a few questions refuse to leave my head. Some revolutions are really not required. The best brains of the world are putting in all they have got towards creating something we do not really need. I mean getting the computer to take oral commands and do things like playing music, search information online, dim the lights in the house or prepare a quick reply to an email are things humans can easily do themselves. If anything at all, it makes us a tad bit lazy, impairs our ability to think ahead and stay prepared because we know a device will remind or alert us. What I am more worried about is the things we humans cant do without, but need greatly. We can easily live without AI replying to our emails for us, but we cannot live without access to potable water, renewable energy, clean air and safe food that not only tastes great but also does not mess with our health in the long run. Would it not be really cool for the best minds and resources to find these solutions and find them fast, rather than creating newer ways of doing mundane things. Let AI make life on this planet sustainable first and then easy. We need technology to add value to our lives. I fail to see how the quality of life is improving with devices telling us something we can find out ourselves using 1st generation tech. A device is going to give me information about restaurants by pointing at them. But I can just cross over to the place and ask or even better, ask a friend who might know. Some argue that these developments are saving us time. True. But take a look around and answer honestly. What are we using this saved time for? Are we spending this time with friends and family or in meaningful relationships? Are we using this time to exercise, engage in a hobby, play a sport or practice an art? Few people are consciously doing this. But most are using it to consume even more technology. It seems to me like the 'make what people want rather than what they need' trend. An in this case I doubt people even want AI to take over these aspects of life. We use it because its available, couldn't care less if it wasn't, life would still go on and not badly at all. Life is not so good however, knowing that the water we are drinking is becoming more and more scarce with each passing day or that the earth is not enough to feed all of us any more. It may even be true that the best brains and resources are working towards solving these more existential issues and I probably don't know the details. Its all sorted out, they just aren't telling us yet. If that is true and I pray it is, I wouldn't mind being ridiculed for asking silly questions or being labelled a naysayer. People who have the data and certainly more information than me, could you chip in here please? Just so that tech-dummies like me can rest assured and marvel at the fact that Alexa can set me an alarm so I dont need that oh so inconvenient alarm clock anymore.