Billy McMahon, portrayed by Vince Vaughn, and Nick Campbell, played by Owen Wilson, find themselves on the hunt for new job opportunities after being laid off from their watch sales jobs due to their company's closure. In a bid to change their fortunes, Billy applies for a Google internship for both of them, and miraculously, their unconventional interview responses lead to acceptance, despite their apparent lack of relevant experience. Quite notably, they are the only interns who do not fit the typical collegiate profile.
Throughout the summer, they must compete in a series of challenging tasks against a diverse array of younger interns, often referred to as "Nooglers." Together with a ragtag team of fellow interns—who are initially perceived as misfits, including Stuart (Dylan O'Brien), who is almost perpetually glued to his phone; Yo-Yo Santos (Tobit Raphael Capati), an Asian-American boy raised by an extremely attentive mother; and Neha (Tiya Sircar), an Indian-American girl with eccentric hobbies—their team is led by Lyle (Josh Brener), who struggles to maintain a façade of coolness to mask his insecurities. Compounding their issues, they face relentless bullying from a rival intern, Graham Hawtrey (Max Minghella), while Mr. Chetty, portrayed by Aasif Mandvi, the head of the internship program, harbors skepticism about the abilities of the older interns.
During a task centered around debugging, their team catches a tough break when Stuart, Yo-Yo, and Neha deem Billy and Nick useless and send them on an errand that turns out to be a wild goose chase. Yet, during a spirited game of Muggle Quidditch against Graham's crew, Billy fosters a rallying spirit that rekindles their confidence, even though they end up losing the game.
As they embark on a task to develop a new app, the group decides to indulge in a night out on the town. At a strip club, Neha confides in Billy her anxieties about her lack of real-life experience amidst her rich fantasy world; buoyed by his support, she resolves to persist. Meanwhile, Nick helps Yo-Yo break out of his shell through drinks and positive peer pressure. Encouraged by Billy, Lyle boldly approaches Marielena (Jessica Szohr), a dance instructor at Google whom he admires. Although she shows interest, chaos ensues as another patron competes for her attention, resulting in the team being ejected from the venue. Together, they find newfound inspiration overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge at dawn; Lyle's drunken antics lead to the brainstorming of an app designed to deter reckless phone usage while intoxicated, ultimately winning them the next task.
Simultaneously, Nick's attempts to woo an executive, Dana, portrayed by Rose Byrne, bear little fruit, prompting him to attend technical presentations to impress her. His genuine interest in the subject matter begins to blossom. As the interns prepare for a crucial technical support hotline task, doubt clouds Billy's mind. Thankfully, a Google employee, known as "Headphones" (Josh Gad)—a quiet figure often seen in headphones—approaches Billy, revealing that his interpersonal skills are a unique asset and offering guidance in mastering the technical material.
Ultimately, as Nick secures a date with Dana, their budding relationship progresses. During the team challenge, Billy shines, yet his failure to correctly log his calls results in zero points for their group. Disheartened, he decides to leave Google for a sales opportunity elsewhere. The final challenge is a sales pitch to attract the largest possible client to Google; the unexpected news of Billy’s departure leaves his team reeling. However, Nick persuades him to return, leading the group in demonstrating to Sal, a local pizzeria owner (Bruno Amato), how Google’s resources can enhance his business potential while upholding his principles.
When the day of the final results arrives, the rules permit last-minute presentations, and Mr. Chetty identifies the limitless potential of the pizzeria despite its modest size, which now thrives by adopting technology. Graham's objections are firmly dismissed by Headphones, who is unveiled as the head of Google Search. In a triumphant conclusion, Nick, Billy, Stuart, Yo-Yo, and Neha are celebrated as the winners, securing jobs at Google, with the latter three lined up to start after their college graduation. As the interns part ways, we see Nick and Dana continue their romance, Lyle successfully pairing off with Marielena, and Stuart and Neha exploring a romantic connection while Yo-Yo asserts his independence from his mother's strong influence.
