The AI Product Manager's Guide: Who I Am, Where I Came From, Where I'm Going | A Conversation with ByteDance AI Product Lead Vanessa: Lessons from Interviewing 100 AI Product Managers

The AI Product Manager's Guide: Who I Am, Where I Came From, Where I'm Going | A Conversation with ByteDance AI Product Lead Vanessa: Lessons from Interviewing 100 AI Product Managers

June 23, 2024

AI is reshaping every industry, and perhaps the first to feel its impact are those closest to it — product managers. In a previous podcast episode, we explored the opportunities and challenges of transitioning into AI product management through the personal stories of Koji and hidecloud. That episode inspired our good friend Vanessa at ByteDance, so we sat down with her to discuss how she interviews AI product managers, and what new insights she's gained after crossing the 100-interview mark.

We started with her takeaways from "interviewing 100 AI product managers," then dug into a fundamental question: what exactly is an "AI product manager"? Vanessa, a seasoned PM and now AI product lead, also walked us through the day-to-day reality and darkest moments of the job.

Beyond the lessons and stories, we also want to pass along some of Vanessa's personal philosophy from the episode: follow your curiosity, embrace life first, then build products. Whether or not you're a product manager, staying sharp and open-minded toward new things is the foundational engine of career growth. We hope this interview offers something for everyone.

Vanessa's personal podcast: Lulu Yuyu (Deer and Fish)

Timeline:

Part 1: Reflections from Interviewing 100+ AI Product Managers

  • 01:44 Pre-AI vs. post-AI era: how has interviewing PMs changed?
  • 03:52 The resume archetypes
  • 05:27 Can you still become a good AI PM through learning alone?
  • 07:06 In 2024, is reading papers the only path to becoming an excellent AI PM?

Part 2: Types of AI PMs and the Reality of the Job

  • 10:19 Categorizing by role and position in the generative AI stack
  • 10:41 PMs dedicated to data
  • 11:09 PMs focused on large model strategy and evaluation
  • 12:35 PMs working on AI-native products
  • 13:07 PMs adding AI features to existing products
  • 14:46 Many applicants don't understand what "AI PM" means in their target role — job descriptions are often vague
  • 16:16 The reality this job title actually points to
  • 17:24 The "darkest hour" of being an AI PM
  • 18:35 What AI products can do depends heavily on model capabilities
  • 19:36 Finding PMF: identifying scenarios and understanding user needs is a major challenge
  • 20:35 Navigating a rapidly shifting industry landscape
  • 22:13 There's plenty of dirty work in AI PM roles
  • 25:37 Users don't understand AI and apply mental models from other products to AI interactions
  • 29:21 We're currently quite harsh on AI
  • 31:15 The fulfillment of being an AI PM — it's worth getting in
  • 31:41 AI is no longer just theoretical; real products are making users feel the technology works
  • 32:03 AI costs are dropping — an accessible future isn't far off

Part 3: Standout Stories from 100 AI PM Interviews

  • 32:58 What interviewers expect from strong AI PM candidates
  • 34:01 Stories of impressive interviewees
  • 35:17 Stories that completely defied expectations
  • 36:29 The questions she always asks AI PM candidates
  • 37:56 Fresh grads vs. experienced professionals: who transitions more easily?
  • 41:30 Who stands out after interviewing so many PMs
  • 49:19 Want to transition into PM? Start with a 5% change — here's how
  • 53:23 What interviewers actually care about

Part 4: Personal Journey

  • 57:14 From designer to PM to AI PM: transitions aren't hard
  • 1:00:37 Curiosity as the engine of transition
  • 1:09:05 The hardest thing for top PMs: predicting how future technology will change things
  • 1:10:55 Coming back from the future: being a player in a TV-style interactive game
  • 1:13:20 Learning style: emergence

Subscribe to "Crossroads" — we track how the new wave of AI technology is reshaping industries and creating entrepreneurial opportunities. "Crossroads" was Steve Jobs's metaphor for Apple, standing at the intersection of technology and liberal arts, where great products are born. AI is transforming every field. We seek out, interview, and bring together "active participants" of the AI era to explore and embrace new changes and new possibilities.

Host Koji: Co-founder of The Fair and Tangdao, an active participant diving into AI. Follow on Jike | Self-introduction

Host Ronghui: Works at a tech VC, former Silicon Valley correspondent for Yicai Weekly. Follow on Jike

Join the Crossroads membership community:

  • Daily AI News Brief
  • Encouragement to date, make friends, and find future collaborators
  • Add our assistant on WeChat: Rwkfbcianvd

Inspiration Poster

This podcast is supported by The Fair Sound Forest Podcast Initiative.