Google Ideas, or Ideas is a cross-sector, inter-disciplinary "think tank" or "think/do tank" based in New York City, dedicated to understanding global challenges and applying technological solutions. Google Ideas further positions Google

Google

Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...

 to influence global cultural, political and social issues. Jared Cohen

Jared Cohen

Jared Cohen is the Director of Google Ideas, an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a non-fiction author. Previously he served as a member of the Secretary of State's Policy Planning Staff and a close advisor to both Condoleezza Rice and later Hillary Clinton...

, formerly with the Policy Planning Committee

Policy Planning Staff

The Policy Planning Staff is the chief strategic arm of the United States Department of State. It was created in 1947 by renowned Foreign Service Officer George F...

 at the US State Department, directs Google Ideas. The think tank is organized within Google's Business Operations and Strategy area and thus is within its business operations rather than its philantrophy part.

In 2010, Eric Schmidt approached Jared Cohen, who had by that time gained recognition for applying forward technological thinking to diplomatic issues, to lead the new venture at Google. The team's most recent conference was the Summit Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) held in Dublin.