The last few months have really shaken things up.
Seriously, did any product manager expect this pace of change? Many probably struggled to keep up (myself included). What happened…? Long story short: a lot, fast, and sometimes a bit chaotic.
Enter GPT-5: The New Star
OpenAI announced GPT-5 as the best model in the world. Ever seen a model decide by itself when to answer instantly or when to take its time? Now you have it. No need to ask twice. GPT-5 makes decisions for us, and get this – everyone gets access. No paywall. Your competitor, your buddy, your LinkedIn connection -they’ve got it too. Ever wondered why everyone suddenly talks automation?
Sometimes it slows down, other times it answers instantly. Mini and nano versions are out there. Few hallucinations (still happens, let’s not kid ourselves). Safety tests? Thousands of hours.
Gemini 2.0/2.5 – The Agent Era
Google’s not sitting idle. Gemini 2.0/2.5 moves towards “agents” – systems that don’t just answer, they do stuff for you. Actually, they do. “Gemini for Home” understands what your camera shows, not just “motion detected.” I had a weird case recently – a noise and the AI said, “Courier dropped off a package, left.” Strange, useful. PMs, time to change your mindset – UX and data architecture are changing. It’s no longer text interaction, but background agents doing their thing.
Claude 4 and a Million Tokens of Context
Anyone in research noticed Claude 4? A million tokens of context (not a thousand, or ten thousand, a million). Throw everything at it – customer feedback, competitor analysis, docs. Claude handles it. Deliverables last too – generate a report, send it to Slack, check back next week, still there.
AI Hallucinations – A Real Threat
One big topic: hallucinations. AI can make stuff up confidently. Regulated industries (fintech, medtech) – one mistake means lost trust. Compliance nightmare. A user burned once might never come back. PMs must watch production outputs, craft smart prompts (not as easy as it sounds), and critically evaluate results – don’t blindly trust the model.
AI-Powered PM Tools Are Booming
The PM tool race with AI is heating up: Jira AI, Productboard AI, Notion AI (imagine PRDs without it?), Aha! AI. Automated feature prioritization, workflow automation, predictive task assignment = faster and smoother. But hey! 75% of PMs already use AI tools, so if it’s not you, someone else is ahead. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Agentic AI. The Future of Product Discovery
Agentic AI is about to change the game. Not chatbots, but agents who decide, act, gather data, and recommend – deliver results, not just answers. Product discovery? Instead of searching “triathlon bike,” the agent collects data, shows options, advises. Real personalization, real-time insight.
What Does This All Mean?
A few simple facts:
- AI speeds up everything. Time to rethink infrastructure and processes; two weeks is the new three months.
- Hallucinations exist and will. Monitor and fix.
- Agents are real and here. UX changes, tools evolve.
- Context is currency. Don’t miss out.
- Access is universal. You win not by the tool but how skillfully you use it.