Google Exec Spends 20+ Hours a Week Experimenting With AI

Keith Ballinger, Google's VP and GM for Developer & Experiences, says AI has made this the most productive and exciting period in his engineering career.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Keith Ballinger, a longtime software engineer who now works as Google's VP and GM for Developer & Experiences, says he spends over 20 hours a week experimenting with AI tools like Gemini Enterprise and Gemini CLI to rapidly prototype ideas and increase his productivity as a developer. Ballinger believes the current era is the best time to be a software engineer, as AI can now handle complex workflows, allowing developers to focus on higher-level problem-solving and technical architecture.

Why it matters

Ballinger's embrace of AI as a senior engineering executive at a major tech company like Google signals a broader shift in the software development industry, where AI is becoming an integral part of the creative and problem-solving process for developers. His willingness to dedicate significant personal time to experimenting with these tools underscores how critical AI has become for boosting productivity and enabling engineers to focus on higher-level tasks.

The details

Ballinger uses AI tools like Gemini Enterprise and Gemini CLI to ideate, prototype, and build new software. He'll discuss an idea with the Gemini AI, which then helps break down the problem, write code, and complete various tasks. Ballinger reviews the output, provides feedback, and the AI continues iterating. He estimates spending over 20 hours per week outside of normal work hours experimenting with these tools, as he believes it's critical for senior engineering leaders to be deeply familiar with the software their teams create.

  • Ballinger joined Google about 3.5 years ago.

The players

Keith Ballinger

Google's VP and GM for Developer & Experiences, with a long background in software engineering at companies like Microsoft and GitHub.

Gemini Enterprise

An AI assistant that Ballinger uses as a sounding board to ideate and prototype new software ideas.

Gemini CLI

A terminal-based developer tool that integrates with the Gemini AI to help break down problems, write code, and complete software development tasks.

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What they’re saying

“If you're a software engineer, there's never been a greater time to be alive.”

— Keith Ballinger, Google VP and GM for Developer & Experiences (Business Insider)

“I love the era we're in right now. I'm building faster and better than ever because I can now offload complex workflows to AI, making this the most productive and exciting period in my engineering history.”

— Keith Ballinger, Google VP and GM for Developer & Experiences (Business Insider)

What’s next

Ballinger plans to continue experimenting with AI tools like Gemini Enterprise and Gemini CLI to drive innovation and productivity within Google's developer tools and experiences.

The takeaway

As AI becomes more integrated into the software development process, senior engineering leaders like Ballinger are embracing these technologies to boost their own productivity and enable their teams to focus on higher-level problem-solving. Ballinger's willingness to dedicate significant personal time to experimenting with AI tools signals a broader shift in the industry towards leveraging AI to drive innovation.