592: Skills that keep product managers relevant in the AI era – with Tom Leung

A framework for making the most of AI rather than letting it replace you Watch on YouTube

TLDR

AI is fundamentally changing the role of the product manager. While core skills like solving customer problems and using human judgment remain, many traditional and entry-level tasks are being automated. Tom Leung, Director of Product Management at Meta, joins me to share his thoughts on the evolving role of the product manager. He also explains his Flare Wide, Focus Hard, Ship Less framework to help product managers make better prioritization decisions.

Introduction

The way we build products is shifting rapidly, and relying on the old playbook is a fast track to being replaced by AI. Today, we are discussing how AI is impacting the role of the Product Manager—the good and the ugly. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the flood of new AI tools, or if you are feeling pressure from stakeholders to just build faster because “AI makes it easy,” you are navigating a very common friction point. In this discussion, you’ll learn actionable steps to adapt your role and a timely new framework called “Flare Wide. Focus Hard. Ship Less.” 

Tom Leung is back with us. He is a Director of Product Management at Meta and Managing Partner at Palo Alto Foundry, which makes startup investments and provides startup advisory services. With past product leadership roles at Google and YouTube, he has spent over two decades driving innovation and is actively charting the future of AI in product management. He also has a podcast called Fireside Product Management. 

Tom brings a wealth of knowledge as a two-time startup founder with successful exits and as an executive product leader. While he is currently a product leader at Meta, he’s joining us today to share his personal frameworks and industry perspective, not as a company spokesperson.

Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers

How AI Is Disrupting Product Management:Tom and I open the conversation by discussing AI’s impact on product development. Many skills once vital to the product manager toolkit, especially early-career and administrative activities, are being replaced by AI agents. Tasks like competitive research and note-taking now require less human input, reducing demand for entry-level PMs but also freeing up time for higher-impact work. However, customer problem-solving, measurable impact, and sound judgment remain essential for product managers.

Product Management Careers in Entrepreneurship:According to Tom, the old route of early-career PMs joining large organizations for foundational training is fading. Fewer early-career PM roles means aspiring PMs may need to build skills at startups or small businesses, where they can develop their use of AI. If aspiring PMs own an enterprise, they can celebrate advances in AI because they help their entire business, rather than worrying about being replaced by AI. Tom points out that this ownership mindset requires more entrepreneurial courage.

New Key Skills for PMs:A critical new skill is managing and critically reviewing the output from AI agents. PMs must catch