How to set off on the right product foot in 2025

As we reflect on 2024—a year marked by significant layoffs across the tech industry—there’s no denying that the landscape of product management is undergoing profound shifts. With many experienced product professionals now in transition, the path ahead in 2025 feels both uncertain and full of opportunity. How can product managers—whether currently employed or looking for their next role—prepare for success in the rapidly evolving world of tech and product? And how do we navigate the growing influence of AI in our field?

Let’s break down what’s changing, where we’re headed, and how product managers can position themselves to thrive in 2025.

In 2024, the rise of AI technologies, especially AI agents, continued, and they now perform many of the manual, repetitive tasks that traditionally occupied a product manager’s time. Tasks like data analysis, prioritisation based on historical patterns, and even managing some aspects of feature delivery are now in the hands of AI-powered tools. While this shift raises concerns about job displacement, it also creates an exciting opportunity for AI-enhanced product teams.

Marty Cagan consistently emphasises that the product manager's role is not just to handle tasks, but to set the vision and drive the team towards outcomes. With AI tools taking on some of the more administrative tasks, and product owners taking on the transformational aspects of the team, product managers are freed up to focus on high-level strategy and product innovation.

"Great product teams are relentlessly focused on outcomes, not outputs." — Marty Cagan

In 2025, a successful product manager will likely need to blend traditional product management expertise with AI-enhanced capabilities. Think of it as the emergence of a "hybrid" role—AI agents and AI-powered product managers working in tandem. Learning how to leverage AI tools, while still maintaining the human touch for decision-making, will be critical for PMs looking to stay ahead.

Thanks to Claire Vo, CPTO at LaunchDarkly and founder of ChatPRD, for her insightful talk earlier this year on this exact topic. Not the demise of PMs but more PMs 2.0! (or are we at 5.0 by now?).

“Today, PMs can go from idea to interactive prototype in minutes with AI tools like Replit, Buildship, Bolt, Loveable... The list goes on. Stop telling—start showing. That’s PM 2.0”
Alastair Preacher, AI nerd and Newsletter weirdo

Another significant trend from 2024 is the expectation for product managers to wear multiple hats. Thanks to layoffs and tighter budgets, many product people are now expected to stretch their skills to areas like UX design, product marketing, and analytics. Product ops has also become a key role for many, helping bridge the gap between product strategy and execution.

Teresa Torres has discussed the trend of what I call “full-stack PMs,” and how product managers are now often expected to manage cross-functional teams and take on strategic and operational roles simultaneously.

"Product management is no longer a siloed discipline. It’s a team sport. And the more well-rounded you are as a product manager, the more impact you’ll have." — Teresa Torres 

In 2025, this trend will only accelerate. My advice is to think critically about what type of product manager you want to be—whether that’s in a B2B SaaS context or a B2C environment, focusing on growth, innovation or platform transformation, and whether you’re more of a strategist or an execution expert. The versatility you bring will become even more important.

The key to navigating 2025 with confidence is self-awareness. Reflecting on what you bring to the table and where you want to focus will be critical in this new landscape. Are you more focused on 0-1 product innovation, building from scratch, or are you drawn to transforming and scaling existing products? Maybe you’re a strategic thinker or an executor—understanding your strengths and where you want to grow will help you focus on the right opportunities and position yourself for either a new role or to be successful and grow within an existing one.

Melissa Perri often highlights the importance of clarity in defining your product manager role. She suggests that product managers should “know what they stand for” and have a clear understanding of who they are as a product leader.

“You can’t be everything to everyone, so focus on what makes you unique and valuable in the product world.” — Melissa Perri

With expectations evolving, understanding your specialisation, and how to market it, will help you not only succeed but stand out.

Whether you’re more aligned with B2B SaaS, consumer-focused products, or growth/innovation strategies, there’s a place for every type of product manager. But you must decide where you fit and double down on developing the right skills for that path.

In addition to AI and full-stack expectations, there will be other challenges in the coming year:

To set yourself up for success in 2025, consider these key strategies:

The future of product management in 2025 is going to be a dynamic blend of AI innovation, evolving skill sets, and a need for self-awareness and adaptability. The product professionals who thrive will be those who embrace new tools, hone their specific set of skills, and stay true to the unique value they bring. By preparing now, both in terms of skills and mindset, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in 2025 with purpose and confidence.

“ As I look to build out my new team in a world where I have to be mindful of budget. I'm looking for people who are fully rounded in Product craft with a specialism which I want to balance across the full team, designers included. Such as researching skills, strong executer, data analysis, etc.” Janie Ellwood (Senior Product Director - Trainline)

Let’s make 2025 the year where product managers rise to meet the future, ready to shape the next wave of product excellence.