Product Discovery in the Age of AI

How Product Owners Can Think, Experiment, and Build Faster in an AI-Enabled world. 

Preface

Why an AI-Enabled World is Changing Product Discovery and Product Ownership. 

In 1998, the Internet was beginning its journey. This new communication technology was about to revolutionise everything we do. At the time, it was all speculation. Even ridiculed in the media. Who would be sending emails to each other when we can pick up the phone? Irrespective of the scepticism, there was a healthy optimism. Those experimenting with technology and exploring opportunities would ultimately win.

At the time, I was a computer science student, a keen fan of mobile technology. So much so, I was always looking for the next gadget. I was observing so much innate potential in this tech. A common sight would be me on my daily commute, my Ericsson MC12 palm-top computer glued to my fingers. It was connected to the Internet via my Ericsson GA628 phone, a device that was notably out of place amid the sea of books, newspapers, and phones on which passengers were engrossed. The very thought of being connected to the online world while in transit sparked curiosity among my fellow commuters. This tiny gadget was my conduit to the world.

This period was the start of my love of technology and products, especially mobile technology. I could sense that we were on the cusp of a profound technological shift and its impact on the world, a phenomenon akin to the Cambrian[1] explosion in biology – a period of rapid innovation and evolution1. The collisions of many technologies at the time, the internet and mobile digital devices were poised to converge into something new. Where this was all going was anyone’s guess, but it was those with the capability and capacity to experiment and adapt who would be the winners. What is clear today is that adoption is exponential. It will almost certainly catch you off guard. If you’re not ready to innovate and experiment, you’re already behind. 

I was eager to get hands-on with this new tech, but in the early 2000s, the mobile job market was more focused on the infrastructure side of mobile technology. The roles available were primarily for network engineers installing mobile equipment. Driven by the dream of creating impactful digital products for mobile users, I never gave up, and this spark ignited my passion for product development and Product Ownership. 

Looking back, it was clear that a major shift was underway. I remember predicting we’d soon be carrying a single-touchscreen device that could fulfil all our day-to-day needs. The idea seemed too futuristic for many, but the signs were unmistakable: the growing popularity of mobile devices, the leaps in digital communication, and the intersection of various technologies. The patterns were there if you knew how to interpret them. 

Fast forward to 2006, and I finally landed a position with BSkyB that was more in line with my ambitions. Joining a very small but innovative technical team, I had the chance to work on some of the first mobile TV applications. We were still a year away from the launch of the first iPhone, Twitter launched in March that year, and the App Store was unknown. AI was the stuff of science fiction movies. The concept of smartphones was not only forming but about to take hold. Our conversations at work often veered toward how our product might look in a smartphone-dominated world. Still, we were soon drawn back to the sea of Symbian devices before us, experienced through a plethora of Nokia handsets.

This period was transformative for me, not just regarding the technology I was working with but also the delivery frameworks I was introduced to. It was at Sky where I was fully introduced to Scrum[2] and the world of Agile product development. This approach was fundamentally different from anything I’d encountered before, with its emphasis on iterative development, self-managing teams, and flexibility in response to changes. I had some experience before my time at Sky, but it was here that I learned how effective agile ways of working are in a truly innovative environment. 

Immersing myself in Scrum, I began to see how it could be harnessed to drive product development in this fast-paced, constantly evolving tech landscape. It wasn’t just about creating products; it was about creating value, responding to user needs, and continuously improving. This philosophy has been instrumental in my career and continues to shape my approach to product, especially as we enter the age of AI-enabled product development.

Deeply aligned to Scrum is the Product Owner’s accountability. During these early days, the ownership aspect of the role resonated with me the most. We were no longer referring only to the management aspect but were concentrating on the ownership focus. As a manager, I may not own, but as an owner, I can manage. A distinction I often reflect on with the Product Owners I coach and teach. 

“This was a world where products could become obsolete quickly, where user expectations were constantly evolving, and where new opportunities were emerging at breakneck speed. “

Those formative years provided me with a solid foundation and had the most profound impact on my early product-focused thinking. I found a place where I can directly contribute to the flourishing mobile product landscape. We were on the brink of a new era, with smartphones poised to transform how we interact with technology. And social media, another shift, was already accelerating and developing in the early years. Despite being a year away from the launch of the first iPhone[3], we had already started envisioning the future of our applications in a world dominated by these new devices.

During this time, one thing was clear: very few of us genuinely foresaw the disruptive force that smartphones would be. Industry players such as Nokia[4] needed to prepare for the shift, including the lack of foresight into the relationship between mobile hardware and software. The revolution happened so swiftly that even these established players struggled to pivot and adapt. 

These organisations should have experimented years before. This was a testament to the blistering pace at which technology was advancing and to the implications for companies that failed to keep pace. Leaders often ask me, “Why do we need to change?” believing their dominance in the market somehow absolves them from considering fundamental shifts in their business models. I say, “Do you remember Blockbuster video[5]?

The rapidity of this shift underscored the importance of agility in product development. A world where products could become obsolete quickly, where user expectations were constantly evolving, and where new opportunities were emerging at breakneck speed. Traditional development methods needed to be better suited to this fast-paced environment.

My subsequent move to the BBC in 2009 and then starting my own business marked a significant step in my journey towards leading agile product development initiatives and developing my Product Ownership skills. The experience of delivering a multitude of products for organisations across a range of industries revealed one central theme: Product Ownership. Being a Product Owner and a product coach has given me insights I would not have had. And with that, the ability to support Product Owners with agility in the age of AI.

The concept of the ‘pivot’ left the most lasting impact. I realised that to thrive, organisations must understand and respond to their customers and the broader market conditions, even if it requires a significant departure from their grand visions. This agility in response was crucial, and those who ignored this imperative inevitably faced decline. This was a hard lesson learned during the dotcom and mobile boom. It shaped my understanding of the dynamic nature of product development and the vital role of adaptability in success.

“AI has the potential to become an integral part of our lives before we even realise it”

Looking back at the explosive growth of the internet and the swift proliferation of smartphones, it’s clear that we are on the cusp of another transformative wave, AI. Just as with these previous revolutions, AI has the potential to become an integral part of our lives before we even realise it. From personalised recommendations to virtual assistants and chatbots, and now AI Agents, AI is already subtly influencing our daily interactions, preferences, and behaviours. Yet, many of us remain oblivious to its uncharted trajectory.

However, unlike the previous revolutions, the rise of AI is likely to be faster and more impactful. With machine learning and big data, AI can learn and evolve at an exponential rate[6]. This evolution, coupled with the integration of AI across domains – from healthcare to entertainment – suggests that the AI revolution could be far more transformative and disruptive than its predecessors. Simply because, for the first time, we have systems that can be continuously trained on massive datasets, allowing performance and capabilities to grow almost exponentially.

Despite these indications, many organisations are still not prepared for the leaps in progress AI is likely to bring. Traditional development methods and structures are ill-suited to cope with the pace and complexity of this upcoming shift. Organisations that fail to adapt and experiment quickly will find themselves left behind, struggling to catch up with their more agile counterparts.

By fostering a culture of experimentation and learning, organisations can position themselves to harness AI’s potential effectively and responsibly. Navigating the complex world of AI and its vast implications requires not just knowledge but an innate ability to adapt and innovate. 

From my early years to my current role as an entrepreneur, Product Owner and product development professional, my journey has underscored the importance of being forward-thinking and quick to embrace change. The ‘Cambrian shift’ in mobile tech I saw in the late 1990s was just the beginning. Now, it’s AI that’s ushering in a new era of radical transformation.

As I look ahead, I’m filled with anticipation and a touch of awe. With the rise of mobile technology and the emergence of smartphones, I now see a future dominated by AI and other advanced technologies. But with this vision comes a responsibility – as organisations and as individuals, we need to prepare for this future. We need to evolve, learn, and adapt with agility or risk being left behind.

In my role as a founding partner at Beliminal, my focus is on preparing organisations for this future. We believe in fostering a culture of continuous learning and experimentation, a culture that’s nimble and responsive to change. We must encourage safe experimentation and learning, equipping teams to take risks, to try new ideas, and learn from both successes and failures.

This approach is central to the Agile product development methods I’ve championed throughout my career for navigating uncertainty and managing complex work, making it perfect for the volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world of AI. The iterative, feedback-driven approach empowers teams to adapt and improve continuously, a crucial ability in an era marked by real technological advancement.

In teaching Agile product development and coaching Product Owners, I emphasise the importance of delivering value and of ruthlessly prioritising what’s truly important. It’s not just about doing more, but about doing what matters most. In a world overwhelmed by information and options, this ability to understand value and focus our efforts accordingly is more important than ever.

Leaders need to move from episodic agile transformation toward sustainable product development and value-centric change initiatives. As the shift in AI and wider technology takes hold, the traditional challenges remain. Leaders are starting to recognise that to remain relevant, they need to build internal capability. To create the space for innovation as well as the motivation and appetite for people in their organisations to embrace the impending wave of change. And to the leaders, I say this: Are you prepared for what’s to come? Are you future-ready?

Ultimately, the journey into the future of AI and other emerging technologies requires courage, curiosity, and relentless (safe-to-fail) experimentation. We do not know what the future of this new technology will bring, and the convergence is often difficult to predict. With AI, quantum computing, new financial systems, and more, Product Owners and entrepreneurs should start to envision how these ideas might converge and shape the future.

And to the Product Owners reading this guide, this one is for you. It comes from my deep experience, passion and belief that you will make a significant impact in the future of this new era. This new AI-enabled world presents a choice. You can become overwhelmed by the abundance of available content, ignore it, and continue operating as the backlog administrator. Or embrace the opportunity to learn, evolve and take ownership of your future. Begin your journey. Make faster decisions. Seek faster feedback. Learn from real signals rather than assumptions, and adopt AI to be your partner to challenge your thinking and accelerate discovery. The future, which is yet to be defined, is exactly where opportunity lies. 

Footnotes

1 I use the Cambrian‑explosion metaphor here in the same spirit as it appears in evolutionary biology and AI‑strategy discussions, to describe periods of rapid technological diversification and innovation.

Gould, S. J. (1989). Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History.

Pratt, G. A. (2015). Is a Cambrian Explosion Coming for Robotics

2 I refer to the Scrum framework as defined in the official Scrum Guide (Schwaber, K., & Sutherland, J., latest version, scrumguides.org).

3 The first iPhone was introduced on January 9, 2007 and released in June 2007.:

https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2007/01/09Apple-Reinvents-the-Phone-with-iPhone/

4 Nokia’s failure to pivot quickly from feature‑phone‑centric hardware to app‑centric smartphone platforms is widely cited as a case of underestimating the interdependence of hardware and software in the new mobile era.

https://knowledge.insead.edu/strategy/strategic-decisions-caused-nokias-failure

5 Gina Keating’s Netflixed: The Epic Battle for America’s Eyeballs (2012) details how Blockbuster’s failure to adapt to online streaming and its reliance on its physical‑store model led to its decline, despite early opportunities to acquire or partner with Netflix.

6 Emerging research and industry analyses suggest that AI training computation has grown at a pace faster than traditional hardware‑centric scaling, enabling rapid capability jumps in machine‑learning systems; many commentaries describe this doubling‑every‑6–8‑months trend, alongside projections that AI‑driven automation and innovation could add trillions of dollars to global GDP by 2030 (e.g., McKinsey Global Institute, “The state of AI,” and PwC, “Sizing the prize: What’s the real value of AI for your business and the economy?”).

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About The Author:

For me, organisational change isn’t just about adopting better practices; it’s about challenging deep-rooted beliefs and shifting how people and organisations think, feel, and work. In today’s environment, that also means rethinking how we discover, build, and validate products in the age of AI. True transformation begins on the inside.

I’m an AI Product Specialist, Certified Enterprise Coach (CEC), Certified Scrum Trainer (CST), and ICF-accredited coach with over 19 years of experience helping organisations navigate agile transformation, product development, and leadership evolution. More recently, my work has focused on product discovery and the practical application of AI, supporting Product Owners and leaders in using AI as a thinking partner to explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and accelerate decision-making.

I’ve worked across industries, including government, fintech, aerospace, pharmaceutical, media, and retail, supporting everyone from delivery teams to senior executives. Across these environments, I help organisations move beyond feature-driven delivery toward value-focused product thinking, combining human creativity with AI-enabled experimentation.

Over the past several years, my focus has expanded across the Greater Middle East, where I’ve helped foster thriving Agile communities, led multiple events, and co-founded two regional conferences. Increasingly, these conversations are centred on how organisations can adapt their ways of working to keep pace with rapid technological change.

Whether I’m coaching leaders, training teams, or speaking at conferences, my goal remains the same: to help people let go of outdated, industrial-age thinking and adopt more adaptive, product-led approaches. This includes developing the mindset and skills needed to work effectively with AI, not as a replacement for thinking, but as a partner in discovery and innovation.

If you’re a leader, organisation, or community exploring how to evolve product development and decision-making in the age of AI, let’s connect.