The Rise of the Technical Product Manager: How Generative AI is Reshaping the Role

The product management landscape is undergoing a seismic shift. No longer can PMs afford to be purely business-oriented, relying on engineers to handle all things technical. Generative AI is changing the game, and it’s time for PMs to step up and become more technical.

The End of the Non-Technical PM?

For years, non-technical PMs have thrived by focusing on market research, user needs, and product strategy. But generative AI is automating many of these tasks. Tools like ChatGPT can conduct user interviews, analyze market trends, and even generate product documentation. This leaves non-technical PMs with fewer unique skills to offer.

The Rise of the Technical PM

In contrast, technical PMs are poised to thrive in this new environment. With a solid understanding of both the business and technical aspects of product development, they can leverage generative AI to accelerate the product development lifecycle. They can use AI to generate code, design prototypes, and even run user tests. This allows them to close the feedback loop significantly faster and iterate on products more efficiently.

The Power of Collaboration

The most successful technical PMs will be those who can effectively collaborate with engineers. They’ll be able to guide engineers through the business needs, translate user feedback into technical requirements, and even contribute to the codebase. This close collaboration will be essential for ensuring that products are not only technically sound but also meet the needs of the market.

Engineering Leaders: Embrace the Change

Engineering leads also have a chance to shine in this new era. By leveraging generative AI, they can automate research tasks, gather user feedback, and quickly iterate on features. This frees them up to focus on more strategic and complex technical challenges.

The Future is Hybrid

The message is clear: the future belongs to those who can bridge the gap between business and technology. PMs who stay solely focused on the business side and engineers who stay solely on the technical side will be left behind. The ones who thrive will be those who embrace both roles and expand their skill sets.