From first users to billions: Google’s Robby Stein joins TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

From Startup Instincts to Global Responsibility

Robby Stein, vice president of product for Google Search, will deliver a session at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 focused on the complex transition of scaling a product from a minimum viable product to a platform serving billions. The talk addresses the central tension product teams face: how to maintain the rapid, experimental pace of a startup while managing the immense responsibility of supporting a global user base that depends on reliability. Stein's current role in deploying generative AI within Google Search makes this discussion particularly timely, as the company navigates introducing novel technology into one of the world's most established information tools.

Stein brings a dual perspective forged by experience on both sides of the scale divide. Before his current role at Google, he co-founded the startup Stamped (acquired by Yahoo) and later led consumer product teams at Instagram, where he was instrumental in scaling Stories, Feed, and Reels. His session, “From MVP to Billions of Users: How Product Decisions Must Change at Scale,” will dissect the necessary evolution of a product playbook. Key themes include:

• Balancing the need for speed with the imperative of user trust.
• Introducing new features without undermining what people already value.
• Identifying which early-stage instincts remain valuable and which must be updated.
• Recognizing when the process of building needs to evolve alongside the product itself.

Lessons for an AI-Driven Ecosystem

The insights from Stein’s session are designed to extend beyond mimicking Google's internal processes. For founders and product leaders, especially those integrating AI, the core value lies in understanding the decision-making framework. With Google reporting that its AI Mode surpassed one billion monthly users within a year, Stein's work offers a current case study on managing this balance. The discussion encourages founders to think beyond an AI's technical capabilities and consider how new features will be experienced by users, ensuring that innovation doesn't come at the cost of the core utility that made the product successful in the first place.

The core challenge for mature tech platforms is no longer just shipping features, but managing the second-order effects of innovation on a massive, established user base. Stein's perspective highlights the shift from a 'move fast and break things' ethos to a 'move deliberately and build trust' framework—a critical evolution for any company navigating the transition from startup to institution, especially with volatile technologies like generative AI.