The PM job has never been simultaneously easier and harder than it is right now.

With just one prompt, I can transform ideas into prototypes and concepts into mockups—but like the massive IBM computer in Hidden Figures, these tools are only valuable when you truly understand what lies beneath them.

In the film, Dorothy Vaughan saw the future coming. While others feared the IBM machine would replace them, she taught herself FORTRAN and led her team to evolve alongside the technology.

Thatta girl

She proudly exclaimed after getting the intimidating machine to work—not just operating it, but mastering it.

As PMs today, we face our own IBM moment. We can either fear AI or embrace it. But Dorothy's journey teaches us an essential lesson: the technology would only amplify their value if they first understood the underlying mathematics and processes.

Like NASA's "computers" of the 1960s, our fundamental mission remains unchanged:

  • We must deeply understand our users' needs (just as they understood orbital mechanics)
  • We must grasp the system architecture and technical constraints (their equations and calculations)
  • We must identify the right problems worth solving (getting astronauts safely to space and back)
  • We must evaluate potential solutions based on business and user impact (their verification procedures)

In the movie, Katherine Johnson insisted on attending briefings that were traditionally off-limits because she needed to understand the why behind the calculations. Similarly, AI excels at conceptualization and execution speed only once we've done this foundational work. Today, AI helps me to:

  • Spellar handle note-taking so I can stay present in the meeting
  • ChatGPT list out everything I need to take away in a structured way
  • Claude by Anthropic visualize complex flows after I've mapped the core logic and draft UI prototypes grounded in user expectations
  • Dify validate concepts quickly before significant engineering investment

Just as Dorothy didn't simply operate the IBM—she mastered it—the tools have evolved dramatically, but they haven't replaced the need for a PM's domain expertise, critical thinking, and user empathy—they've amplified it. At this stage, AI is excellent for conceptualizing things we already understand, but it's getting better every day.

The most valuable PMs will be those who maintain their core skills while leveraging AI to reduce friction in execution and ideation.

What's your experience using AI in your product work? Has it changed how you approach your core responsibilities?