Stop Sprinkling AI, Start Baking It In.
In 2025, one of the most valuable skills for product managers isn’t just understanding AI — it’s knowing how to build with it.
Not build on it. Not bolt it on after the fact. But truly bake AI into the product so it becomes invisible, indispensable, and loved.
Yet, most product teams are doing the opposite.
They’re sprinkling AI like glitter on top of a cake, hoping it’ll shine. It grabs attention for a moment, but quickly fades from memory — and worse, from daily usage.
Flash gets clicks. But depth drives retention.
Here’s how to shift from flashy-but-forgettable to meaningful AI that customers actually use — and pay for.
AI Sprinkles: Flashy But Forgotten
We’ve all seen them.
The sidebar chatbot that answers vague questions. The smart-writing tool that’s too generic to be useful. The dashboard “insights” that feel more like guesses than help.
They look impressive at launch. But usage metrics often tell a different story:
- High curiosity, low retention
- No integration into the user’s actual workflow
- Can be removed without changing the core value
These are “AI sprinkles” — attention-grabbing features that feel like they were added for the press release, not the user.
When AI is added as a feature, not a foundation, users can feel it.
AI Cake: Invisible But Indispensable
The best AI products? You often don’t even realize they’re using AI.
Because the goal isn’t to make AI visible — it’s to make the experience better.
Think about these traits:
- AI that auto-generates names for user flows, based on intent
- Smart defaults that improve with every action
- Insights that appear right when you’re stuck — without asking
- Friction removed before it becomes frustration
These experiences don’t scream “AI-powered.” They simply feel intuitive, as if the product deeply understands what you need and when.
The best AI doesn’t show off — it disappears into usefulness.
The Key Shifts Product Teams Must Make
To move from “we have AI too” to “we can’t live without this product,” product teams need to rethink their approach.
1. Start with user needs, not the tech
Don’t ask “Where can we add AI?” Ask, “Where are users struggling — and how can intelligence help solve that?”
2. Make intelligence invisible
A great experience doesn’t need an AI badge. It just works better. Smart systems that adapt, suggest, and simplify — without noise.
3. Enhance workflows, don’t interrupt them
AI should strengthen the path users are already on, not create a parallel experience they need to learn from scratch.
A Real-World Example: Attio
Take Attio, a modern CRM.
They didn’t chase the fanciest transcription AI. Instead, they focused on using call data to surface relevant insights, streamline follow-ups, and simplify decision-making.
Users don’t say, “Wow, what amazing AI!” They say, “This makes my job easier.”
And that’s the point.
Because no one’s paying for AI — they’re paying for better outcomes.
The Takeaway
AI doesn’t need to impress your roadmap.
It needs to impress your users.
Don’t build AI features. Build smarter products.
If you’re a PM in 2025, the job isn’t just to keep up with AI — it’s to make it feel like magic baked into every interaction.
And if you’re curious about the full blueprint I’ve used to help teams go from AI sprinkles to AI cake, I wrote it all out here.
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