Are you ready to discover how AI is revolutionizing product management? In this episode of the CPO Rising Series hosted by Products That Count Resident CPO Renee Niemi, Salesforce President and Chief Product Officer David Schmaier will be speaking on AI’s transformative power in product leadership in enterprise software. David shares groundbreaking insights from Salesforce’s AI journey, revealing how generative AI is reshaping customer experiences and product development at unprecedented speeds.
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Show Notes:
- AI is changing everything, transforming industries faster than ever before
- Great product leaders spend 60% of time with customers, 40% with engineering teams
- Software artistry requires both technical precision and creative design thinking
- Salesforce has been investing in AI for over a decade, positioning them at the forefront of technological innovation
- Generative AI enables autonomous agents that can perform complex business tasks
- AI’s transformative power in product leadership is shifting from feature implementation to holistic user experience design
- Customer feedback is critical, but direct interaction matters more than surveys or second-hand reports
- AI will not replace humans, but professionals using AI effectively will replace those who don’t
- Product leaders must develop “taste” – an intuitive understanding of great design and user experience
- Rapid iteration and agile methodologies are essential in modern product development
- AI agents can automate mundane tasks, allowing humans to focus on higher-level strategic work
- Trust and customer success are foundational to building exceptional products
- The future of work involves humans and AI collaborating seamlessly
- Observing customers in their actual work environment reveals insights surveys cannot capture
- DIY approaches to complex technologies like AI are becoming obsolete
- Product roadmaps should be flexible and continuously refined with AI assistance
- Successful product leaders listen more than they speak
- Foundation models are becoming commoditized; platform integration is key
- AI’s potential extends beyond software into physical devices and robotics
- Continuous learning and adaptability are crucial in the rapidly evolving tech landscape
About the speaker
President & Chief Product Officer for Salesforce responsible for Salesforce's global product team, strategy and vision at the world's #1 CRM company. David also oversees Salesforce Ventures, which has invested in and partnered with over 400 of the most promising enterprise software & cloud companies from inception to IPO, along with Corporate Development at the company. Prior to his current role, he worked as CEO of Salesforce Industries. Prior to Salesforce, David worked as CEO & Founder at Vlocity, a three time Forbes Cloud 100 company (2017, 2018, 2019). Vlocity was acquired by Salesforce in 2020. Prior to Vlocity, he worked as COO at enterprise AI innovator C3.ai and as a founding executive at CRM pioneer Siebel Systems. Over three decades of experience building successful cloud, CRM, and industry-specific vertical software companies as an executive, entrepreneur, board member and investor.