If You Have to Mention AI...
...maybe you don't have a product
Here’s a rule of thumb I use when evaluating whether AI is actually helping me build something valuable:
I should be able to show its value without mentioning AI.
If I need to say “it uses AI” to justify the product, I’m not selling the product. I’m selling the idea of AI.
That’s not the same thing.
Real value doesn’t need a label. It’s felt. It’s obvious.
If the product genuinely helps someone — saves time, reduces friction, solves a real pain — it will stand on its own.
We’ve seen this before.
Facebook didn’t pitch itself as a “Web 2.0 platform”. It just helped people connect.
Web 2.0 made that possible, but it wasn’t the point.
AI is the same.
It’s an enabler. But it’s not the story. The story is: what did we build with it?
Did we use it wisely?
Did we make something simple, clear, and useful?
Right now, I see a lot of businesses selling the concept of AI.
But AI isn’t the goal. Serving people is.