How AI Is Changing Product Development – Survey Insights

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Why AI Is Changing Product Development, But Not in the Way You Think

We’ve all heard the pitch: AI will make your product team 10x faster.

But when I spoke with product leaders and PMs this summer, a different picture emerged. AI is changing how we work, but not by slashing costs or replacing people. The biggest gains are happening somewhere more fundamental:

👀 How clearly we think.
✍️ How well we write.
🎯 How effectively we define what matters.

In short, AI’s biggest value lies in improving the quality of planning—not just the speed of execution.

What the Data Revealed

In June 2025, I surveyed a cross-section of product professionals—from Heads of Product to IC PMs. I wanted to know: Where is AI actually helping? What’s hype vs. reality?

Here’s what stood out:

1. AI is now a default tool for product managers

It’s no longer experimental.

• 86% of teams use AI for planning and execution tasks—writing PRDs, summarizing meetings, drafting specs.

• 64% are using AI for ideation and prototyping, including “vibecoding” or creative coding bursts.

It’s the new baseline, especially for individual productivity. PMs are turning to AI daily to unblock writing, gather insights, and move faster.

2. Clarity beats speed

This was the big unlock.

• 64% of teams use AI to improve the clarity and completeness of their planning documents.

• 36% use it to identify edge cases and risks before they become costly rework.

What’s interesting? These teams were more likely to report improved product quality and faster cycles. Not because they rushed, but because they slowed down to think better.

The takeaway: Speed without clarity is a trap. The real ROI of AI comes from upgrading the thinking that happens before the build.

3. Workflow automation is still early

Despite all the talk about AI agents, most teams haven’t integrated AI into end-to-end workflows yet:

• 36% aren’t using AI for any workflow automation.

• 55% are using it for lightweight tasks like auto-generating docs from Slack or meetings.

• Only 14% have automated ticketing.

This is where opportunity still lives. Connecting planning tools to execution environments, reducing manual handoffs, and building momentum through smarter coordination.

4. Time savings is real and measurable

This was the most consistent ROI signal:

• 77% reported moderate to significant time savings.

• No one said AI had zero impact on time.

One team shared that their engineers are now 5x faster building marketplace apps using AI for structured prototyping. That’s transformative velocity—but it only worked because the requirements were clear upfront.

5. Cost savings and headcount reductions? Still rare.

This was the clearest gap between executive expectation and reality:

• Only 14% saw significant cost reduction.

• 36% weren’t sure if there was any cost impact.

• Just 18% reported headcount-related ROI.

Most leaders echoed the same sentiment: “We’re not trying to replace people. We’re using AI to let them do more valuable work.”

AI isn’t replacing your team. It’s removing the drag from their day.

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Final Thoughts

The hype cycle told us AI would replace meetings, automate workflows, and rewrite the role of PMs.

But what I see is more grounded, and honestly, more exciting.

AI is helping product teams think more clearly, write more precisely, and spot problems earlier. Those small wins compound. And when they do, everything downstream, from tickets to timelines to trust, moves faster.

If you’re serious about getting ROI from AI, don’t start with the tool.

Start with the thinking.

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📩 Want the full report? DM me or comment below. I’m happy to share the PDF.