For years, the PM’s value has been in the ‘glue work’—connecting engineering with design, translating user needs into specs, and keeping the roadmap train on the tracks. But let’s be honest: AI tools are getting incredibly good at summarizing research, drafting PRDs, and creating user stories from meeting transcripts. The game is changing.
If the tactical execution of our job is being automated, our focus must elevate to the strategic, deeply human elements that AI can’t touch. I’m talking about building true cross-functional alignment through influence, not authority. It’s about synthesizing disparate user insights into an innovative vision and navigating the complex political and emotional landscape of an organization to bring that vision to life.
The challenge is that this strategic work is much harder to quantify than ‘number of tickets written’ or ‘features shipped.’ We need a new language and new metrics to prove our worth, moving beyond the feature factory and demonstrating our impact on the business itself. If we can’t articulate this value, we risk being seen as a luxury rather than a necessity.