Dreaming big – talking moonshots in 2026

Unlocking Tomorrow: How Google’s Moonshot Factory is Redefining Innovation and Global Connectivity

(This article was generated with AI and it’s based on a AI-generated transcription of a real talk on stage. While we strive for accuracy, we encourage readers to verify important information.)

Google’s Moonshot Factory, X, established 16 years ago, serves as Alphabet’s innovation engine. It provides a safe space for teams to pursue cutting-edge challenges, distinct from Google’s core business, with a 5-10 year vision. X aims to invent breakthrough technologies and businesses that profoundly improve the world and become self-sustaining.

X’s blueprint identifies a massive global problem, then devises a radical, impossible-sounding solution. Breakthrough technology is invented to realize this sci-fi idea. Ms. Riley, COO and CFO of X, noted AI is fundamental, combining it with novel sensors and robotics to enhance physical systems, underpinning all X projects.

X has spun out about 30 companies. Google Brain, a deep learning moonshot, integrated back into Google, its AI advancements powering many Google products. Waymo, the self-driving car initiative, addresses road fatalities, offering 500,000 paid rides weekly and logging 200 million miles.

Wing, X’s drone delivery service, tackles the “last mile” challenge for packaged goods. It ensures rapid delivery and reduces road traffic, completing 750,000 commercial deliveries and partnering with Walmart. These examples showcase X’s diverse impact on global challenges.

Mr. Krishnaswamy, Founder and CEO of Taara, presented their connectivity moonshot. He highlighted that nearly one-third of the global population lacks internet access, limiting opportunities. Existing connections often lack affordability and consistency, a problem intensified by AI’s escalating data demands.

Current internet infrastructure has limitations. Fiber is costly and slow to deploy, while radio frequency faces spectrum and capacity issues. Taara’s “fiber over the air” solution combines fiber’s speed with wireless flexibility, using eye-safe light beams for high-speed data transmission.

Taara’s innovation transmits 20 gigabits per second over 20 kilometers using eye-safe light beams. Links install in hours, using minimal power. Deployed in over 20 countries, Taara provides fast, affordable connectivity to communities, businesses, and data centers. This technology originated from Project Loon’s laser communication.

Ms. Riley detailed X’s evolving model: spinning out companies and attracting external investment. This leverages partners’ domain expertise, accelerating moonshot development. Alphabet retains equity and benefits as a customer from these independent entities’ innovations. Taara’s graduation from X exemplifies this successful transition.

Mr. Krishnaswamy confirmed Taara’s graduation after seven years, securing outside capital while Google retains a minority stake. This boosted Taara’s mission, doubling its team and global reach. The new model fosters a business-focused mindset, preserving the core moonshot DNA of tackling huge problems with radical solutions.

Ms. Riley affirmed X’s undiminished ambition for radical, over-the-horizon technologies. The new model offers greater freedom for complex areas. Rigorous milestones and judgment guide the process. Early partnerships are vital for feedback, despite varying project timelines due to hardware and regulatory factors.

Mr. Krishnaswamy recounted a unique challenge in India: monkeys jumping on towers caused vibrations disrupting Taara’s precise laser beams. This unforeseen issue led to developing an accelerometer to stabilize links, enhancing product reliability globally. This exemplifies how real-world testing drives innovation and product enhancement.

Ms. Riley advocated for more organizations to adopt X’s innovation model, aligning with Google’s 70/20/10 investment philosophy. She believes a broader focus on breakthrough technologies addressing major global challenges would greatly benefit humanity. Taara’s existence exemplifies X’s patient, de-risking approach, adapting to AI’s transformative impact.