AI Stampede

Everyone is talking about AI. Fewer are talking about the opportunity cost of chasing it blindly.

A pattern I’m seeing right now: Teams are rebuilding their roadmaps around AI because it feels mandatory — not because it solves a real customer problem.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth: Adding AI features does not turn your product into an AI platform. It just means you now have more features to support.

What customers actually want? Better workflows. Faster insights. Fewer clicks. Clearer outcomes.

If AI helps deliver that, great. If it doesn’t, it’s noise.

Strong product leadership prevents AI theater by asking:

-What job does this help the customer do better?

-What measurable friction does it remove?

-Will customers pay for this or simply expect it?

Does this make our product more defensible, or just more complex?

The companies navigating this moment well are grounding every AI decision in customer value — not board or investor pressure.

AI can absolutely enhance your product. But it can’t compensate for unclear strategy, vague positioning, or a feature-factory mindset.

The winners won’t be the teams that add the most AI. They'll be the ones who apply it with purpose.