💡Product Circle ⭕ Chat - 2025 Trends in Product Management with Amy Mitchell
💡 Product Circle ⭕ Chat 39 with Amy Mitchell – How PMs Can Stay Ahead in 2025. Navigating AI, Partnerships, and the Future of Product Leadership.
💡Product Circle⭕ Chat runs every second week as a Zoom call that anyone can join to talk all things product, product management and problem solving. Creating value for customers and the business.
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Become Irreplaceable in 2025
Before we get to Amy’s talk (and recording) below, I’d like to share with you a great courses I’m running. Both virtually and both based on my 20+ years in Product Management.
Pricing and Monetisation Strategies Masterclass
The Pricing & Monetisation Strategies Masterclass is one I’m really proud of. I used to teach it over 5 years ago at General Assembly in Sydney Australia. I’ve now updated it to include mine (and everyone’s fascination), GenAI.
In over 4 hours, over 3 days virtually, you’ll learn to actually calculate your customer’s willingness to pay. We start with understanding your Customer’s Perception of Value, calculate Willingness to Pay, understand the importance of Price Elasticity of Demand and how to find your Product’s Zone of Genius. We get into the factors in choosing a pricing strategy, the monetisation tactics available, how pricing psychology impacts conversion and why messaging matters. I take you through the legal and regulatory impacts on Pricing and well as how you can use GenAI in your pricing the maximise willingness to pay.
Plus, you get the recordings, the slides and a certificate upon completion.
Stop leaving money on the table with the Pricing and Monetisation Strategies Masterclass in March.
Come along and lets maximise your customer’s willingness to pay.
Now let’s get back to Amy’s talk on the 2025 Trends in Product Management.
"Average product managers know how to use AI, and exceptional product managers know how to collaborate cross-functionally." - Amy Mitchell
This 💡Product Circle⭕ Chat was run on the 27 February 2025 at 12pm (AEST) / 26 February 2025 at 6pm (US Time - Colorado) with Amy Mitchell.
Recording below👇🏼
The role of product managers is shifting rapidly. AI is becoming more embedded in workflows, partnerships are more critical than ever, and ethical considerations in product development are no longer optional.
But the key to thriving in 2025?
Adaptability, strategic thinking, and strong collaboration.
🔥 Top 5 Trends Defining Product Management in 2025
🤝 Trend 1: AI is Powerful—But People Power Still Wins
AI is doing more than ever—writing PRDs, analysing customer feedback, summarising user research, and automating processes. But rather than simplifying our jobs, AI is making product management even more complex.
🔹 AI increases complexity, not just efficiency. AI introduces new decision-making layers—which models to use, how to train them, and the ethical implications of AI-driven features.
🔹 AI can’t replace strategic leadership. It can crunch numbers and generate insights, but it can’t align stakeholders, influence executives, or drive product vision.
🔹 PMs must stay ahead of the AI curve. Understanding AI bias, model explainability, and compliance is becoming an essential skill, not a nice-to-have.
🎯 What PMs should do:
✅ Use AI as a tool, not a replacement—human judgment still matters most.
✅ Sharpen collaboration skills—cross-functional teamwork will make or break your success.
✅ Stay ahead of AI trends—learn how to use AI effectively before it uses you!
🔗 Trend 2: The Rise of Product Ecosystems & Strategic Partnerships
Gone are the days when a company built a product in isolation. Today, success depends on partnerships, integrations, and an understanding of the broader product ecosystem.
💡 Why this matters:
🔹 More businesses are thinking in ecosystems. Whether in fintech, AI, SaaS, or telco, every product needs to play nicely with others.
🔹 The Build vs Buy vs Partner decision is evolving. It’s no longer just "Should we build this?" but "Who can we partner with to deliver this faster?"
🔹 Contracts, compliance, and finance now matter more to PMs. Product leaders need to understand deal structures, revenue-sharing models, and SLAs to make informed decisions.
🎯 What PMs should do:
✅ Develop business acumen—understand licensing, contracts, and partnerships.
✅ Identify strategic alliances—working smarter (not harder) means leveraging the right external capabilities.
✅ Think beyond the product—your product exists within a broader landscape. Learn the players and how they connect.
⚖️ Trend 3: AI Ethics, Compliance & Responsible Product Design
With AI shaping more aspects of our products, ethics and compliance are becoming a top priority. From GDPR to AI governance, regulators are tightening controls—and customers are watching closely.
💡 What’s changing?
🔹 AI bias and ethics are under scrutiny. Governments and watchdogs are setting stricter rules around how AI collects, processes, and uses data.
🔹 Data privacy & security are now make-or-break issues. Customers expect products that are transparent, compliant, and secure—fail, and you’ll lose trust (and market share).
🔹 Sustainability & ethical decision-making will shape roadmaps. Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) initiatives are influencing product strategy, as companies commit to more responsible innovation.
🎯 What PMs should do:
✅ Stay across evolving regulations—GDPR, CCPA, AI governance, and data privacy laws are critical.
✅ Embed ethics into your product decisions—don’t leave it as an afterthought.
✅ Partner with legal, security & compliance teams early—they are essential stakeholders in product strategy.
🎛️ Trend 4: Balancing Customisation, Scalability & Personalisation
Customers expect tailored experiences—but offering too much customisation can cripple a product's scalability. In 2025, PMs must find the sweet spot.
💡 Why this matters:
🔹 Customisation is growing, but it can kill scale. B2B customers, especially large enterprises, often demand tailored solutions, but too much custom work slows teams down and increases tech debt.
🔹 AI-driven personalisation is the way forward. Instead of custom-building solutions for every client, AI can dynamically adjust user experiences without heavy engineering work.
🔹 PMs must think commercially about personalisation. Product teams should charge for premium customisations and monetise tailored features strategically.
🎯 What PMs should do:
✅ Design products with modular customisation—keep the core stable, allow flexible extensions.
✅ Use AI-driven personalisation where possible—reduce manual work, increase automation.
✅ Charge for high-effort custom work—if it’s valuable, customers will pay for it.
🔀 Trend 5: The ‘Forever’ Product Team is Dead – Welcome to Dynamic, Cross-Functional Teams
Forget static product teams that last for years—2025 is all about dynamic, mission-driven teams that form, deliver, and disband as business needs shift.
💡 What’s happening?
🔹 Organisations are flattening. Managers now oversee 15-20 people, meaning PMs must lead autonomously without constant oversight.
🔹 PMs are juggling multiple virtual teams. Instead of owning a single roadmap, PMs are often leading several cross-functional workstreams at once.
🔹 Strategic leadership is more important than ever. Success isn’t just about building great products—it’s about navigating uncertainty, aligning stakeholders, and driving impact without direct authority.
🎯 What PMs should do:
✅ Level up leadership skills—influence and stakeholder management are now critical.
✅ Get comfortable leading without direct authority—PMs are expected to align teams without formal hierarchy.
✅ Emphasise communication & clarity—with more moving parts, crisp communication is a must.
💥 TL;DR
Product managers today are more than just product builders—they’re strategists, leaders, and AI navigators.
📌 Key takeaways:
✔️ AI will transform PM workflows, but collaboration still wins.
✔️ Partnerships and ecosystems are the new competitive advantage.
✔️ Regulations, compliance, and ethical AI will reshape products.
✔️ Personalisation is expected, but too much customisation can kill scalability.
✔️ PMs must lead dynamic, cross-functional teams in a fast-changing world.
“The best PMs aren’t just product thinkers—they’re strategic leaders.” – Amy Mitchell
Product Circle Chat 39 - Topic
Topic: 2025 Trends in Product Management
The world of product management is changing faster than ever, and 2025 is shaping up to be a game-changer! From the impact of AI supercharging product development to the rise of product managers as strategic thought leaders, there’s never been a more exciting (or challenging) time to be in this field.
In this session, Amy Mitchell took us through 5 rising trends in product management for 2025. While AI is revolutionising product development, there are other critical shifts impacting the field.
For Product Managers and Product Leaders, these shifts create opportunities to lead, innovate, and thrive in our roles.
Product Circle Chat 39 - Video
Product Circle Chat 39 - Speaker
Amy Mitchell is a Product Director at Dell Technologies, leading the managed services product team. She shares real-world product management insights weekly in her newsletter, Product Management IRL. Amy brings experience from leading product teams at Zerto, HPE, and Cisco.
Links:
Amy’s slides - 2025 Trends Product Circle Chat
Product Circle Chat - Q&A
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Are you new to Product Management and want to learn from me?
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