I’ve noticed a significant shift in PM job descriptions and hiring conversations lately. The classic ‘T-shaped’ product manager, with broad business acumen and deep user empathy, seems to be a dying breed. In its place is a demand for what I call the ‘I-shaped’ PM — a deep specialist in a technical domain like AI/ML, data science, or platform architecture.\n\nCompanies are no longer just looking for PMs who can ‘speak the language’ of engineering. They want PMs who can write complex SQL queries on the fly, debate API design, and build their own data dashboards. While these skills are valuable, I worry we’re over-indexing on technical execution at the expense of strategic vision and customer-centricity.\n\nThis trend puts immense pressure on existing PMs to constantly re-tool and potentially boxes them into a specific industry or tech stack. It also raises the barrier to entry for talented individuals from non-traditional backgrounds who excel at market analysis, user psychology, and strategic thinking. Are we optimizing for the right things?\n\nHow is your organization balancing the need for deep technical expertise versus core strategic and user-focused skills in your product teams?