It feels like every meeting with leadership these days includes the question, “What’s our AI strategy?” The pressure is on to integrate AI, and fast. But this rush is creating a dangerous pattern: the AI Feature Factory.
We’re seeing teams jump to solutions—summaries, chatbots, and co-pilots—before deeply understanding the user problem. The goal becomes shipping an “AI feature” rather than solving a real, painful need for our customers. This is a classic solution-in-search-of-a-problem scenario, just supercharged with the latest tech hype.
The fundamentals of good product management are more critical than ever. We must remain anchored to the user’s world. An AI feature that doesn’t solve a core problem isn’t innovation; it’s a distraction that erodes user trust and adds complexity. The most important question isn’t “How can we use AI here?” but “What is the most critical user problem, and is AI the most effective way to solve it?” Sometimes the answer is no, and having the courage to say that is part of our job.
How are you navigating the pressure to ship AI features while staying true to a problem-first approach?