google history

Google was created in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, two Ph.D students from Stanford University.

The company has since become one of the most influential technology companies in the world with a market capitalization of $459 billion.

The History section on Google's website details its long and illustrious history, dating back to its origin as a research project at Stanford University to its latest developments, including AI, machine learning, and quantum computing. Here is part of that history:

"In 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin realized they were getting very little done because the computer screens on their desktops had become slow and hard to access while they searched for information among bookshelves packed with print volumes. They wondered if it would be possible to organize a database of information so that, given two terms and a desired answer, all possible matches would be found in a fraction of a second."

"Larry and Sergey had spent their entire academic careers creating databases. They knew they would never have to create one themselves because they were sure that pressed right into the Stanford campus, there was one already there."

This is how in 1998 Google began "as an online directory, but with no back end marketing or sales force to generate revenue".

"To generate revenue, Larry and Sergey approached advertisers. At the time, advertisers were spending much more on television commercials than on Internet advertising.