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

If you build products, your approach to decision-making must evolve as your user base grows, even if you don't have billions of users yet.

Robby Stein, Google's VP of Product for Search, is set to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 on October 13-15 in San Francisco. His session, titled “From MVP to Billions of Users: How Product Decisions Must Change at Scale,” will focus on the challenges and strategies involved in evolving products that serve billions of users. Stein, who previously held roles at Instagram and Artifact and co-founded Stamped, brings experience from both startup environments and large-scale product development. The discussion will explore how product teams balance speed, trust, innovation, and reliability when their decisions have global consequences. With Stein currently working on generative AI products for Google Search, including features that have surpassed one billion monthly users, the session will also touch upon the impact of AI on product evolution and user experience. The event aims to provide insights for founders and product leaders on adapting their building strategies as their products grow, irrespective of their current user base size.

The session highlights a critical inflection point for product development: the transition from rapid early-stage iteration to maintaining stability and trust for a massive user base. Stein’s experience across startups, Instagram, and Google Search, particularly with AI integrations, offers a unique perspective on managing this shift. This isn't about replicating Google's playbook but understanding the fundamental decision-making adjustments required when product impact scales exponentially. Leaders must learn to identify when to prioritize speed versus meticulous care, a balance that becomes exponentially more complex with billions of users.

The increasing integration of AI, exemplified by Google's AI Mode reaching over a billion users, adds a new layer of complexity to product evolution. Stein’s participation underscores the growing importance of understanding user experience with AI, not just its technical capabilities. For founders and product managers, the key takeaway is the necessity of adapting their product development philosophy to accommodate emergent technologies and evolving user expectations for reliability and innovation, regardless of their current scale.