Note
November 12, 2026
1 min read
The Long Way Around
By Cristiano Pierry
The customer wants an answer. As AI changes how software gets built and used, how much of that software will people still need to interact with?
A customer asks, “What should my family watch tonight?” In the first part of this animation, that question travels through research, product, design, engineering, testing, and a lot of handoffs before an app reaches the customer.
Then frontier tools move into the middle of the team. People use AI to develop the idea, shape the experience, build it, and evaluate it. The PM still delivers a working app, and the AI operates it for the customer.
The last scene explores what could come next. The customer asks the AI directly. It creates or operates whatever tools it needs and returns an answer. The customer wanted something to watch with their family. How much of the software we build will people still need to interact with?
Watch the interactive animation
This writing reflects my personal perspectives on product management, AI, and content discovery. It does not represent the official position of my employer or any affiliated organization.