Product Management in the Age of AI: The Fourth Member of the Product Trio is the ML Researcher
The most effective product teams comprise the holy trinity of product management: the Product Manager, the Designer, and the Engineer.
This framework, popularized by thought leaders like Marty Cagan and the Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG), underscores the synergy needed to build successful products that users love. Each role brings a distinct perspective: PMs ensure they build tools that work for the business and are valuable for customers, Designers shape the usability, and Engineers own technical feasibility.
As we sail into the evolving waters of AI in product development, this triad expands to include a crucial fourth member: the Machine Learning (ML) Researcher.
This addition isn’t just a mere expansion of the team but a fundamental shift in the product development paradigm.
The Indispensable ML Researcher
For AI-enabled products, the ML researcher brings a new type of technical expertise.
Unlike traditional engineers who program systems that perform consistent functions, ML researchers deal with probabilities and uncertainties. Their responsibilities are unique and not covered by any other role.
