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Google's Robby Stein on scaling products to billions
Google's VP of product shares how decision-making changes when your product goes from startup to serving billions of users.
In brief
Google's VP of product shares how decision-making changes when your product goes from startup to serving billions of users. The instincts that work for early-stage products need to evolve when you're making decisions at global scale, balancing speed with reliability. Originally reported by TechCrunch.
The scaling paradox
Getting people to try your first product is one challenge. Changing a product that billions already rely on is another. The instincts that helped you get started may need an update.
Robby Stein at Disrupt 2026
Google's VP of product for Search leads a fireside chat on the Builders Stage exploring how product teams balance speed with trust when decisions affect billions of users.
The core tension
How do you keep experimenting when users expect your product to work every time? How do you introduce something new without undermining what people already value?
From MVP to billions
Stein's session tackles the shift from building a first minimum viable product to making decisions inside one of the world's largest product organizations, focusing on what changes while maintaining trust.
A career spanning both sides
Stein co-founded Stamped, acquired by Yahoo, led consumer products at Instagram including Stories and Reels, and was head of product at Artifact before returning to Google in 2024.
AI at Google Search scale
Stein now works on generative AI products within Google Search. AI Mode surpassed 1 billion monthly users a year after its debut, placing him at the intersection of new technology and how billions find information.
Balancing innovation and reliability
Recent updates let people move from AI Overview into follow-up conversations in AI Mode, designed to accommodate both quick answers and deeper exploration without losing what makes people depend on Search.
Why this matters for founders
Whether you're refining your first product or rethinking an established experience, the next stage of growth is a reason to examine the decisions that got you this far and how your approach needs to evolve.
Disrupt 2026 details
TechCrunch Disrupt returns to Moscone West in San Francisco October 13 to 15, bringing together 10,000 plus startups, investors, and tech decision-makers across six industry stages and 200 plus sessions.
Register before prices rise
Save up to 200 dollars on your pass before September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Save 30 percent more if you grab group passes for four or more.
The essence
The instincts that work for early-stage products need to evolve when you're making decisions at global scale, balancing speed with reliability.
