What AI means for your product strategy | Paul Adams (CPO of Intercom)

Exploring AI properly is crucial to avoid being left behind in a rapidly transforming society. To leverage AI effectively, it's important to start with the core premise of your product and understand why people use it and the problem it solves for them. By going back to basics and assessing whether AI can fulfill those needs, you can determine its potential impact on your product. AI can either fully or partially replace certain functionalities, while in other cases, it can augment and assist users. Matching your product with what AI can do and what it will be able to do enables you to make informed decisions about integrating AI into your product strategy. Additionally, failure is an inevitable part of growth, and it's essential to learn from these experiences to evolve and succeed.

It's important to learn from failures and adapt to unexpected situations. Paul Adams recounts his experience of freezing on stage during a conference talk, but he eventually realized that it wasn't such a big deal. He emphasizes the need to go with the flow and not let these curveballs hinder our progress. Similarly, during his time at Google and Facebook, Adams worked on projects that were not successful due to fear-driven motivations. However, he learned valuable lessons on leadership and the importance of creating products that genuinely address people's needs. He discovered that people needed better ways to communicate with close friends and family, which seems obvious now with the popularity of messaging apps like WhatsApp. It's crucial to embrace setbacks and continue learning and evolving from them.

Failure and taking risks are essential components of growth and success. Paul Adams shares his experiences of leaving Google for Facebook, facing scrutiny and being seen as a traitor. Despite the challenges, he believes that failure is a valuable learning opportunity and encourages embracing failure as part of the journey. At Intercom, Adams found a company that values trying new things and making big bets, even if they don't always succeed. Their principle of "Ship fast, ship early, ship often" promotes a culture of continuous improvement through learning from mistakes. This takeaway emphasizes the importance of embracing failure, taking risks, and adopting a mindset that values growth over perfection.

There is a real tension between maintaining high standards of quality and embracing new technologies like AI. Intercom, a company with a design founder background, values craft and never wants to be embarrassed by what they ship. However, there is also a strong belief that AI will have a profound impact on society, similar to the internet or mobile technology. While some people are skeptical due to past hype, others are fully committed and see AI as a game-changer. For those who want to dive deeper into AI but struggle with time constraints, the key is prioritization. Taking dedicated time to read, stay updated, and experiment with AI tools like ChatGPT can help navigate this rapidly evolving field without sacrificing work-life balance.

Businesses need to start thinking strategically about their products and whether AI should be incorporated into their development. Instead of getting sidetracked by the technology itself, it's important to first understand the core premise of the product and the problem it solves for users. From there, the question becomes: "Can AI do what our product does?" In many cases, the answer will be yes or at least partially. Mapping out what AI is capable of, including tasks like writing, summarizing, answering queries, and more, can help businesses determine how AI can enhance their offerings. It's crucial to stay ahead of the curve and explore the possibilities of AI, as it has the potential to revolutionize industries just like the mobile wave did a decade ago.

AI has the power to take actions and make a significant impact on various industries. It can accomplish tasks like changing flight reservations or solving customer service issues. This means that businesses, especially those in B2B SaaS or media-related fields, need to consider what AI can do and how it can be integrated into their products. For some, AI may replace certain functions entirely, while in other areas, it can serve as a helpful co-pilot. Intercom, for example, experienced a transformative before-after moment when they shifted their strategy to embrace AI in customer support. Their AI chatbot, Fin, became the first line of defense, resulting in mind-blowing results. However, this shift also necessitated organizational change and reimagining team structures. While it's still early to fully measure the impact, it's clear that AI has the potential to revolutionize industries and offer new job opportunities, like conversation designers or AI managers.

AI is showing great potential in various industries, including customer support and image recognition. While there is still some skepticism surrounding its capabilities, there are already successful examples of AI-powered solutions, such as Intercom's Fin, which can answer a significant percentage of inbound questions. However, it's important to note that the financial transformation of businesses through AI is still in its early stages, as the exponential growth curve takes time to materialize. The advancements in AI, particularly in natural language processing and reasoning abilities, have even surpassed expectations, with ChatGPT's ability to understand and reason impressively. Additionally, AI's proficiency in image recognition has opened up new possibilities, such as providing instant interpretations of foreign text or detecting issues in photographs. These advancements raise questions about the future role of professionals in fields like radiology, where AI has already demonstrated superior performance compared to human experts. Overall, there is compelling evidence to suggest that AI is indeed the future.

AI technology is rapidly changing various industries and professions, including healthcare and communication. For radiologists, AI has the potential to revolutionize their role by allowing them to focus on patient care rather than spending countless hours analyzing X-rays. This can help alleviate issues such as long hospital queues and waiting lists for X-rays. Additionally, AI advancements in voice and facial recognition have the potential to create virtual replicas of individuals, offering a way to communicate with deceased loved ones. However, the ethical implications of such technology and its impact on society remain uncertain. Moreover, integrating AI into teams and organizations requires a strong foundation of skilled machine learning engineers to build upon existing AI technologies and develop truly remarkable solutions.

Building out the function of machine learning (ML) teams is crucial. At Intercom, they have significantly invested in expanding their ML team, which has allowed them to tackle both ML-heavy projects and front-end projects successfully. A key challenge they face is integrating AI assistants into their products seamlessly, making the user experience feel natural. Rather than having a separate AI team, Intercom believes in integrating AI knowledge across all product teams. They aim to have everyone learn about AI and become generalists, while still valuing specialists in areas such as machine learning. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of staying updated on the rapidly evolving field of AI through reading and staying connected with industry experts on platforms like Twitter.

Staying informed and exploring various sources are crucial in the realm of AI. Paul Adams highlights the benefits of actively engaging with different platforms like Twitter, newsletters, and blogs to expand his understanding. He emphasizes the value of following individuals and companies who specialize in AI, such as Matt Rickard and OpenAI. Moreover, he recommends trying out different tools and apps like Bard and Rewind to gain practical insights. This showcases the importance of experimentation and hands-on experience to truly comprehend the potential and limitations of AI. Additionally, Adams emphasizes the significance of organizational buy-in and shared belief in AI's potential, as having a supportive leadership team can facilitate the integration and adoption of AI technologies.

Navigating ambiguity and challenging conventional thinking are key when it comes to integrating AI into various industries. The discussions and debates about the future of AI and its impact on product development are necessary to ensure that we don't become irrelevant and useless in the long run. Showing examples and tangible results of AI implementation can help people gain conviction and understand the potential of AI in their specific market. While customer support may be the most obvious area for AI integration, other industries like reporting software and project management tools are equally ripe for disruption. It's important to constantly question and reassess our strategies, keeping in mind the problem we are trying to solve as a company, and considering if AI can provide a more efficient solution. Additionally, seeking out contrary viewpoints and reading critical perspectives helps to avoid blindly following trends and making mistakes. Ultimately, adaptability and a willingness to challenge the status quo are essential in embracing the power of AI.

It's important to balance optimism with skepticism when it comes to new technologies like Web3 and crypto. While it's easy to get excited about the possibilities and potential benefits, it's also crucial to consider the alternative opinions and potential downsides. Don't be afraid to explore and embrace new technologies, but approach them with caution and be open to different perspectives. Additionally, when it comes to pricing, simplicity is key. Pricing can be a complex and challenging aspect of product design, but striving for a simple and straightforward approach can help avoid mistakes and confusion. Keep it simple and focus on aligning price with the value customers perceive in your product or service.

Simplicity is key when it comes to pricing and product development. It can be tempting to add extra ways to price or introduce new features, but this ultimately leads to confusion for customers. Paul Adams advises resisting this temptation and keeping pricing and product offerings straightforward. Another important consideration is the balance between differentiation and table stakes. While differentiation is important to attract customers, it must be in ways that actually matter to them. At the same time, table stakes, which are basic and necessary features, should not be overlooked. Finding the right balance between the two is crucial for success. Additionally, for startups entering established categories, having a solid foundation of table stakes is necessary to compete effectively.

Startups need to find a balance between differentiation and building table stakes in order to be successful. It's important to invest in differentiation early on to stand out in the market, but also recognize the need to build essential features and capabilities that customers expect. The concept of "swinging the pendulum" reminds us to step back and assess the current state of the business and identify any undesirable gaps. However, it's crucial not to over-correct and lose sight of the startup's unique identity and culture. Finding the right balance also extends to hiring, where a mix of generalists and specialists with some adaptability can thrive in a fluid and ambiguous startup environment.

Sometimes you have to take risks and swing the pendulum high in order to truly understand the boundaries and find success. This can involve crossing uncomfortable boundaries and feeling the pain of failure, but it is necessary for growth and innovation. It's important not to shy away from pushing the limits and going all in, whether it's in the field of AI or in addressing privacy concerns. Additionally, achieving product-market fit goes beyond simply building the right product for the right market. It also requires a compelling and easily understood story that resonates with the target audience. The story must be clear and avoid over-intellectualization to effectively communicate the value of the product.

The story behind a product is just as important as the product itself. Even if a product is superior on paper, like Ordio was compared to Spotify, it can still fail if it fails to tell a compelling story. The story helps to explain why a product is better and why customers should choose it. This emphasizes the importance of positioning and effective product marketing. While frameworks like Jobs to be Done can be useful in focusing on customer problems and insights, getting caught up in the nuances and debates of these frameworks is ultimately irrelevant to customers. The focus should always be on building a great product that solves a customer's problem.

Simplicity is key when it comes to building software products that improve people's lives. Paul Adams emphasizes the importance of cutting away anything that isn't necessary and focusing on the goal of helping users in a meaningful way. Adams believes that frameworks and processes can often distract and slow down the development process, so it's important to use what works best for the specific goal at hand. Additionally, Adams recommends two books to everyone: "It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be" by Paul Arden and "Principles" by Ray Dalio. These books instill the belief in unlimited potential and the power of principles in achieving success.

AI products like ChatGPT Vision and Rewind can be truly mind-blowing in their capabilities. Despite some skepticism or criticism, these products, such as the little audio recorder, offer a glimpse into the possibilities and ethical considerations of AI technology. On a personal level, Paul Adams shares valuable life lessons he's learned, such as the importance of focusing on what matters most and not worrying about things beyond our control. He emphasizes the power of being nice to people, recognizing that we never truly know what someone is going through. Being kind and understanding can have a significant impact, even if it's often underestimated or seen as trivial.

Doing the harder thing can actually be the nicer thing to do. Paul Adams shares his experience of having to fire people and how it initially made him uncomfortable. However, he realized that it always worked out for both sides and brought relief to the employees. This insight teaches us that sometimes, we must embrace difficult decisions or actions because they can lead to better outcomes and alleviate discomfort in the long run. It's a reminder to prioritize the overall well-being of others, even if it means tackling challenging situations. Additionally, Paul mentions that Guinness in Ireland is superior due to its freshness and the country's expertise in fish. So, if you ever visit Ireland, be sure to try their Guinness and savor the incredible seafood they have to offer.