Building for a new next billion users

Ten years after Google launched the Next Billion Users initiative, the barriers to digital inclusion have evolved but haven’t disappeared. The new next billion users aren’t just people coming online for the first time. They’re users with disabilities locked out by poor design, people in emerging markets still facing connectivity and cost challenges, and billions at risk of exclusion as AI reshapes how we interact with technology. This talk redefines what digital inclusion means in 2026 and demonstrates how accessibility-first design can be the foundation for reaching your next billion users.