In a recent LinkedIn post, John Cutler discusses the nuanced impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the distinct skill sets of designers and product managers, particularly when AI tools are introduced into their workflows. Cutler, a prominent voice in the product development space, highlights potential disparities in how these professionals might leverage AI, leading to different outcomes.
Divergent Approaches to AI Integration
Cutler’s central argument revolves around the idea that a designer’s inherent skills and a product manager’s without design expertise will lead them to utilize AI tools in fundamentally different ways. He emphasizes that the core capabilities of each role shape their interaction with new technologies.
“A skilled designer will take a very different approach to a skilled product manager w/o design chops. Both can use AI and end up with a very different result.”
As John Cutler notes, this divergence is not merely about access to AI but about how the existing cognitive frameworks and toolkits of each role influence their application. A designer, already accustomed to iterative processes and visual problem-solving, might approach AI with a focus on creative exploration and refinement. Conversely, a product manager, typically focused on strategy, market fit, and feature prioritization, might use AI more for data analysis, trend identification, or even content generation to support product documentation.
The Enduring Role of Prototyping in Design
The post further delves into the specific domain of design, underscoring the integral role of prototyping. Cutler points out that prototyping has long been a cornerstone of the design process, a tool that skilled designers intuitively understand and employ to test ideas and gather feedback.
“Prototyping has always been part of the design toolkit. Watch a skilled designer prototype and you will notice they focus on different things.”
According to John Cutler, observing a skilled designer at work during the prototyping phase reveals a focus on aspects that go beyond mere functionality. This might include user flow, emotional response, aesthetic coherence, and the overall user experience. The implication is that while AI can assist in generating prototypes, the discerning eye and strategic thinking of a designer are crucial for shaping them into effective solutions.
The Challenge of Visibility in an AI-Saturated Landscape
A significant concern raised by John Cutler is the potential for the unique contributions of skilled designers to be obscured in the current enthusiasm for AI. The rapid adoption of AI tools, particularly those geared towards single-player experiences or rapid content creation, might overshadow the deeper, more strategic design thinking involved in product development.
“The trick is how, with all the pressure on everyone going single-player AI crazy, people will ever see the difference.”
In Cutler’s view, the challenge lies in maintaining the recognition and value of specialized design skills amidst a broader technological shift. He suggests that the ease with which AI can produce outputs might lead to a conflation of AI-generated results with genuine, human-led design innovation. This raises questions about how organizations will continue to cultivate and appreciate the distinct value that skilled designers bring to the product lifecycle, ensuring that AI serves as an augmentation rather than a replacement for critical human expertise.
Ultimately, John Cutler’s analysis serves as a timely reminder to consider the qualitative differences in how various roles interact with AI, and to preserve the specialized skills that drive innovation in product development.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by John Cutler on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on July 18, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →