From Pixels to Tokens: UX Is Not Enough Anymore

Beyond Coding

What does it take to build AI features at the scale of Microsoft Copilot?

Senior Product Manager Stéphanie Visser reveals the massive shifts in product development, from focusing on pixels to tokens and embracing a culture of rapid, data-driven experimentation.

Learn how the roles of PMs, engineers, and scientists are evolving and what it takes to succeed.

In this episode, we cover:

• The shift from UX-focused products to output-quality-focused AI.
• How to run experiments and decide when an AI feature is ready to ship.
• The changing roles and expectations for PMs, engineers, and data scientists.
• Building trust and a strong product culture in a distributed AI team.

This episode is a must-watch for product managers, engineers, and tech leaders looking to adapt their processes for the age of AI and accelerate their delivery cycles.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - How Microsoft Builds AI Features

00:00:49 - The #1 Thing That Changed for Product Managers

01:28 - From Pixels to Tokens: The AI Product Shift

02:58 - Why AI Is All About Output Quality, Not UX

04:46 - When Is an AI Feature "Good Enough" to Ship?

06:45 - The "Non-Embarrassment Bar" for Releasing AI

09:07 - Why Old User Feedback Methods Don't Work for AI

12:28 - The New Expectations for Software Engineers in AI

15:33 - When to Involve Engineers in the Product Process

17:43 - How Microsoft Structures Its AI Product Teams

20:40 - Why 3-Month Planning Is Obsolete in the AI Era

22:42 - How to Remove Bias From Your Product Decisions

25:36 - Balancing Data vs. User Intuition in AI

27:44 - The Biggest Bottleneck in AI Experimentation

31:12 - How to Define the Right Metrics for Your AI Product

33:39 - Building Trust and Culture in a Remote Team

37:47 - The Most Underrated Skill for Product Managers

40:57 - How to Cultivate a Strong Product Culture

44:32 - The AI Tools a Microsoft PM Actually Uses

46:29 - How to Manage the Expanding Scope of the PM Role

Connect with Stéphanie Visser:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanievisser

Connect with Patrick Akil:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-akil

https://twitter.com/PatrickAkil_

Sponsors:

Xebia - https://xebia.com

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