Google Search VP Robby Stein Joins Disrupt 2026 Lineup

Google Vice President of Product Robby Stein has joined the speaker lineup for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, scheduled for October 13 to 15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Stein, who oversees generative AI products and experiences within Google Search, will lead a Builders Stage fireside chat titled "From MVP to Billions of Users: How Product Decisions Must Change at Scale." The session will address the friction between rapid experimentation and maintaining user trust when managing global platforms.

Stein brings a diverse background spanning both early-stage startups and massive tech organizations. He co-founded the social recommendations startup Stamped, which Yahoo acquired, and later spent five years directing consumer products at Instagram, where he scaled features like Stories, Feed, Reels, and Direct Messaging. Before returning to Google in 2024, Stein served as the head of product at the AI-powered newsfeed startup Artifact. This dual perspective allows him to speak directly to the challenges of transitioning from a minimum viable product to a highly scaled ecosystem.

The discussion comes at a pivotal moment for Google Search as it integrates generative AI. In May, Google announced that its AI Mode had surpassed 1 billion monthly users just one year after launching. Stein has recently overseen updates allowing users to transition from an AI Overview into follow-up conversations in AI Mode. For product developers and founders, his insights offer a blueprint for introducing complex generative AI features without alienating existing users who expect consistent reliability.

Disrupt 2026 is expected to draw more than 10,000 startups, investors, and tech decision-makers. Attendees looking to catch Stein and over 250 other speakers across 200 sessions can save up to $200 on passes, plus 50 percent off a second ticket, if they register before September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Group passes for four or more people offer an additional 30 percent discount, while the final deadline to book an exhibition table is September 18.