95: Tal Raviv - AI for PMs: Stop Overthinking, Start Tinkering
From Overwhelmed to Empowered: A Candid Conversation with Tal Raviv
From streamlining user research to improving cross-functional alignment, Tal Raviv shares practical tips for PMs to embrace AI without fear. The key? Start small, experiment often, and use AI as a thought partner - not a replacement. Whether it’s summarizing transcripts, building custom assistants, or leveraging tools like ChatGPT and Notion AI, the future of PM work isn’t about avoiding AI - it’s about mastering it.
Key Takeaways
AI Won’t Replace PMs, But It Will Change the Job: AI is a tool, not a threat. PMs who learn to use it effectively will thrive.
Start Small & Iterate: Don’t wait for the “perfect” AI solution. Experiment with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Whisper to find what works for you.
Cross-Functional Alignment Gets Easier: AI can surface insights from unstructured data, helping PMs align teams and avoid conflicts.
AI as a Thought Partner: Use AI to generate ideas, simulate scenarios, and streamline workflows—but always stay connected to the raw data.
The Future is Contextual: Tools like Notion AI and Slack AI are powerful because they have access to your company’s unique context.
01:36 - 04:16
Why Product Management Feels Less Fun (And AI Isn’t Helping)
Tal dives into why product management has become less enjoyable in recent years, citing increased pressure, fewer PMs per team, and the added uncertainty of AI. He emphasizes the importance of staying hands-on and experimenting with AI tools to cut through the noise.
04:16 - 07:59
AI’s Impact on PM Workflows: From Discovery to Go-To-Market
AI isn’t just changing how PMs work—it’s reshaping entire workflows, team structures, and even job applications. Tal breaks down the four key areas where AI is shaking things up and why PMs need to adapt quickly.
07:59 - 10:07
The Antidote to AI Fear: Small Experiments & Tinkering
Instead of fearing AI, Tal advocates for small, hands-on experiments. He shares practical tips for PMs to start tinkering with AI tools, like dedicating time each week to test new tools and iterate on prompts.
10:07 - 14:20
AI for User Research: Summarizing Transcripts & Building Craft
Leah and Tal discuss how AI can streamline user research, from summarizing transcripts to identifying key insights. Tal emphasizes the importance of iterating on prompts and staying connected to the raw data to maintain product intuition.
14:20 - 18:25
Trusting AI Outputs: When to Double-Check & When to Let Go
Leah shares a practical tip: test AI with data you already know well to gauge its accuracy. Tal adds that even when AI gets it right, PMs should still engage with the raw data to keep their intuition sharp.
18:25 - 22:54
Cross-Functional Alignment Made Easier with AI
AI can help PMs connect the dots across departments, like spotting conflicts between marketing campaigns and product launches. Tal and Leah discuss how AI can surface insights from unstructured data, making cross-functional collaboration smoother.
22:54 - 27:14
Building Custom AI Assistants: From SQL Queries to API Docs
Leah shares how she built a custom ChatGPT bot to handle SQL queries and API documentation, saving hours of manual work. Tal highlights the importance of giving AI context to make it truly useful.
27:14 - 29:53
AI Isn’t Magic: Start Small & Iterate
Tal debunks the myth that AI requires “magic spells” (aka perfect prompts) to work. He encourages PMs to start small, iterate, and not overthink the process.
29:53 - 34:04
AI as a Thought Partner: Why PMs Should Embrace It
Leah and Tal discuss the stigma around using AI in product management and why PMs should feel empowered to use it as a thought partner, not just a tool.
34:04 - 37:43
The Social Side of AI: Why People Fear Looking Unprofessional
Leah shares a story about a user who avoided digital tools out of fear of looking unprofessional. Tal connects this to the broader hesitation around AI and why PMs need to reframe how they think about using it.
37:43 - 40:06
Tools Every PM Should Be Using Right Now
Tal shares insights from a survey of thousands of PMs, revealing that ChatGPT and Claude are the most widely used tools. He also highlights the underrated power of AI dictation tools like Whisper.
40:06 - 44:21
Beyond ChatGPT: Perplexity, Notion AI, and Slack AI
Leah and Tal discuss other AI tools PMs should explore, including Perplexity for obscure searches, Notion AI for knowledge management, and Slack AI for cross-team insights.
44:21 - 47:50
The Future of AI in Product Management
Leah and Tal speculate on the future of AI, from smarter document management to AI plugins for Slack. They emphasize the importance of staying curious and experimenting with new tools.
47:50 - End
Closing Thoughts & How to Connect with Tal
Tal shares where listeners can find him (LinkedIn, Maven, and his email list) and encourages PMs to embrace AI as a tool for growth.
Audio:
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Connect!
Follow Tal Raviv:
LinkedIn: Tal Raviv
Maven Course: AI for Product Managers
Follow Leah Tharin:
LinkedIn: Leah Tharin
Season 4 of the Product Tea
We spill the tea on how to Go to Market through Product-led Sales and Product-led Growth in B2B and the realities of senior leadership.
I loved the point about AI sourcing information from rigid documents. I think it's one of the magical things about perplexity; I don't want to figure out how to navigate a bunch of new sites; I want the information I'm after. I want to reduce friction (and the same in the other direction; I want to give it the context as friction-free as possible, which is where voice is so powerful).
What's your take on the hiring problem you mentioned at the beginning? - has AI made the resume useless, or (as above) is it just a case of allowing hiring managers to source the information they're after?