How GenAI Will Empower a New Era of Product Builders

The Democratization of Product Development

There is a transformation happening, fueled by Generative AI. This transformation is redefining how products get built and who gets to build in the first place. I've witnessed first-hand how GenAI is democratizing the process of product development (see the projects section of this site ), empowering people of all backgrounds to create software in a way that was not possible before. It's a shift that brings a new era of creativity for a new group of builders. Gone are the days when product creation was the exclusive domain of those with extensive technical skills. GenAI tools are emerging as the great equalizers, providing intuitive ways for individuals with less technical abilities to bring their ideas to fruition. The research by Noy and Zhang on leveling in abilities (see below) underscores the egalitarian nature of GenAI. Noy and Zhang show that the individuals who performed the worst on the research control task experienced the greatest improvement on the subsequent task for which individuals were supported by GenAI tools. This finding underscores the potential of GenAI to significantly enhance the performance of those with initially lower skills, thereby leveling the playing field.

The Rise of the New Builder

This research is a testament to how Generative AI tools are narrowing the divide and granting a broader group the chance to shine. Previous no-code or low code tools started to open up product building to a wider audience, but GenAI native building tools are the new vanguard. These GenAI tools provide more intuitive ways to build and, at the same time, are showing a promising trajectory towards a level of complexity in output far from what is currently possible. There is the potential for full-scale application creation by a whole new type of product builder. The question isn't if GenAI tools will evolve from being mere copilots to piloting the creation of complex, market-ready products, but rather when this transition will take full effect.

"Everyone around the world can now become a programmer"

— Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia

The trajectory of product development is no longer as constrained by technical prowess as it was before. Diversity and richness of ideas will have greater importance than in the past for builders going forward. Product builders, supported by GenAI tools, won't just iterate on previous ways of developing products; they will leapfrog traditional steps taken and instead find a new way of building where their ideas are less encumbered by the limitations that were there in the past.

Staying Ahead of the Curve – What This Means for Product Builders

It's important to note the pace of change in the AI space. New models that better some previously impressive benchmark are being released every few months. Staying attuned to the rapidly evolving GenAI landscape will be crucial to harnessing its full potential.

A key takeaway for builders is that you need to stay on top of new tools being released, if you want the best return on the opportunity that new generative AI technology brings. Some key steps to stay ahead of the curve:

1. Experiment with new GenAI tools as they are released to understand their capabilities and limitations.
2. Join communities and attend events focused on GenAI to stay informed about the latest developments and best practices.
3. Collaborate with others who are also exploring the potential of GenAI for product development to share insights and learn from each other.