AI’s third era: the rise of persistent AI coworkers | Tara Seshan (Product Lead ChatGPT Work)

Product management in the era of artificial intelligence requires a shift from academic, long-term planning to rapid, empirical iteration. Building for the future demands a two-to-three-month horizon, as models evolve too quickly for static, multi-year strategies. The core of the PM role is transitioning from manual execution to "steering" AI agents, where human intuition, opinionated product vision, and accountability remain essential differentiators. Effective teams now prioritize "mainlining" AI—integrating tools into daily workflows to solve problems instantly—and treating every feature as a founder-led experiment. By focusing on sharp hypothesis definition and fast testing loops, teams can elevate their ambitions and realize complex visions that were previously out of reach. Ultimately, the most successful products emerge from deep user obsession and the ability to adapt to the rapidly changing capabilities of frontier models.