Google CEO Sundar Pichai on how he 'cheered up' his team when then-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer called Chrome browser 'a rounding error'

Microsoft's ex-CEO Steve Ballmer dismissed Google's Chrome browser as "a rounding error" shortly after its launch in 2008. Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently recalled encouraging the Chrome team after Ballmer's remark.

Speaking at a recent commencement address at Stanford University, he said that Ballmer's comment could have discouraged Google employees at a time when Chrome was still trying to gain traction against Microsoft's Internet Explorer.

Instead, Pichai used the criticism to motivate the team to keep pushing forward."It could have been demoralising. But with that California optimism, I told the team that the fact he went out of his way to dismiss us meant we were doing something right,” Pichai said at the event.In 2008, Chrome launched when Internet Explorer was the dominant browser, accounting for roughly 60% of global browser usage. A year later, Ballmer downplayed Chrome's significance during an interview, saying, "The most successful by far is Firefox. Chrome is a rounding error to date. Safari is a rounding error to date."

How Google CEO Sundar Pichai kept the Chrome team motivated

According to Pichai, Chrome saw some early momentum after launch, but growth later slowed, and its market share remained in the low single digits. Rather than lowering expectations, the team focused on improving the browser through frequent updates and ambitious goals.

"We kept going, setting highly aggressive stretch goals to keep the team pushing. We rapidly iterated, shipping the browser every six weeks while others shipped one, maybe every six months to a year. Success began to follow,” Pichai noted.The approach helped Chrome steadily gain users. By 2012, the browser had surpassed its competitors to become the world's most-used browser, a milestone that also strengthened Pichai's standing within Google before he eventually became the company's CEO.

What message Sundar Pichai gave to graduates

Drawing from Chrome's early challenges, Pichai urged graduates to take on difficult projects even when success is uncertain. He said, “Working on hard things has taught me a lot: it typically attracts other great and optimistic people. And even if you miss meeting the high goals you set, you'll still achieve something great.”"So when you have the choice to work on something hard—say yes," Pichai added. He also encouraged students to make career decisions based on their interests rather than external expectations."As you look at your own path, don't focus on the thing your parents want you to do, or the thing all your friends are doing, or that society expects of you. Instead, think about the things that keep you chatting excitedly with your roommates late into the night. And go do those things,” Pichai advised.