How top 1% PMs work in the AI Era

Real talk from our latest roundtable

Aug 20, 2025

A few weeks ago, we sat down with the advisory board behind our Product Manager Awards to talk about what we’re seeing from the top 1% of PMs. These are folks who reviewed hundreds of nominations and have deep, diverse experience themselves, so this wasn’t a theoretical conversation. It was real talk about what the best PMs are actually doing right now.

Here’s what stuck with me. The best PMs are energized by AI. They’re using it to remove friction, speed up prototyping, and get closer to the code. But they’re not handing over decision-making. They still lead with judgment, empathy, and customer insight.

They’re also thinking beyond features. One of the biggest shifts we talked about was how top PMs are measuring outcomes differently. It’s less about tools or velocity, and more about real-world impact and efficiency.

And maybe most importantly, they’re questioning their own assumptions. That kind of intellectual honesty is rare, and it shows up in how they build and how they lead.

If you want a snapshot of what great looks like right now in product, this roundtable is worth your time. Watch the full conversation on how top PMs lead in the AI era.

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