I think the OP is confusing strategic and tactical decisions by Google. On a strategic board-level view, yes Google is an ad company and reducing web page size without stripping ads is a bit disingenuous. Strategically Google will never drop ads, so the next best step for this project probably won't happen

However tactically Google benefits from paying clever people to make great products irrespective of their strategic fit - and this seems a good product.

I had never heard of it, and will build it in my pipeline RSN.