Google Labs head Josh Woodward: NotebookLM and AI Studio grew from obsessed small teams

davidstutz92 · x · 2026-10-13

Lenny Rachitsky shares takeaways from his interview with Josh Woodward (Google Labs, Gemini App, AI Studio): the best ideas rarely come from design sprints—NotebookLM, Flow, Beam, and AI Studio all began with small teams obsessed with an insight. Environment matters more than process: "You cannot microwave a good idea." Fall in love with the problem, not the product; most ideas need 3-5 major pivots. Responder David Stutz adds that even with AI, building expertise still takes time—roles aren't blurring across the board.

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