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How old-school industries are innovating product development

Sep 10, 2025

One of the things I find most exciting in product leadership right now is how much innovation is coming from places we don’t typically think of as “cutting-edge.” Industrial sectors are quietly rewriting the product playbook in ways that every product leader should pay attention to.

These industries sit on massive untapped potential. They hold decades of intellectual property that can be repurposed, and they’re operating at the intersection of physical and digital products where the stakes are incredibly high. When you pair that with the integration of AI, which is no longer a separate function but a core part of how products are built, you start to see how fast things are shifting.

For product leaders, there are important lessons here. Breakthroughs happen when teams break down silos, partner across industries, and reimagine old technologies in new ways.

We had another great Product Talk episode come out today featuring EY and Nottingham Spirk leaders that captures these shifts in action. If you’re thinking about how to lead in this new landscape, I think you’ll find their perspective both practical and inspiring.

Watch the full episode

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