Alphabet is the parent company of Google and was created in 2015 to reorganize Google’s businesses.
The restructuring separated Google’s core internet products from other ventures, including research and development projects. Google remained Alphabet’s largest and best-known subsidiary, operating Search, YouTube, Android, and much of the company’s advertising business.
Larry Page became Alphabet’s chief executive at its creation, while Sundar Pichai became Google’s CEO. In December 2019, Pichai also became Alphabet’s CEO, succeeding Page. This corporate structure lets Alphabet report Google separately from its “Other Bets,” such as experimental businesses.
A common mistake is to call Alphabet simply “Google.” Google is the principal operating company and brand, while Alphabet is the publicly traded parent whose market capitalization is measured in stock-market rankings.