In a recent LinkedIn post, Janna Bastow, a prominent figure in product management known for her work with Mind the Product and ProdPad, highlights critical challenges facing product leaders as they integrate artificial intelligence into their offerings. Bastow emphasizes the urgent need for a user-centric approach to AI development, cautioning against a rush to adopt the technology without a deep understanding of genuine user needs.
The Peril of AI Without Purpose
Bastow points out a common pitfall: teams are eager to implement AI features, but these often fall short of delivering real value to users. She identifies a worrying trend where the focus shifts from solving user problems to simply incorporating AI for its own sake. This can lead to products that are technologically advanced but fail to resonate with the target audience.
“Teams rushing to add AI without understanding user needs”
As Bastow notes, the gap between having an AI feature and having an AI feature that users genuinely want and need is significant. This disconnect often results in products that, while technically functional, do not achieve user adoption or satisfaction.
Addressing the Core Challenge: User Needs in AI Development
The central question product leaders must grapple with, according to Bastow, is how to ensure AI products solve tangible problems. She frames this as the hardest question in current AI product development, suggesting that many are currently focused on the ‘AI’ label rather than the ‘problem-solving’ aspect.
Bastow’s insights stem from her extensive experience guiding product teams in building effective roadmaps and products. She observes that the landscape is rapidly evolving due to AI, necessitating a strategic shift in how product development is approached.
“Features that technically work but users don’t love”
This observation underscores the critical distinction between functional AI and delightful AI. Bastow argues that true product success lies in creating experiences that users not only find useful but also genuinely enjoy.
The AI Product Leaders Summit: A Forum for Essential Conversations
Bastow’s post serves as a prelude to her participation in the AI Product Leaders Summit, where she will join a panel discussion titled “Building AI Experiences Users Actually Love.” She highlights the summit’s value in bringing together leaders who recognize that exceptional AI products are built on more than just cutting-edge technology.
“The gap between ‘we built AI’ and ‘users want this'”
This gap, as identified by Bastow, is a key area of focus for the summit. It represents the challenge of translating technological capability into user desirability and market success. The event aims to foster dialogue and share strategies for bridging this critical divide.
The summit, taking place on November 18th from 10 AM to 3:30 PM EST, is a free, virtual event. It promises to be a crucial gathering for product leaders seeking to navigate the complexities of AI-driven product development and ensure their innovations meet real user needs.
Bastow concludes by posing a direct question to her network, inviting further discussion on the biggest challenges in building AI experiences that users love, thereby continuing the conversation beyond her initial post.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Janna Bastow on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on November 7, 2025 | View original post on LinkedIn →