Bitter lessons building AI products
19 hours ago
- #AI Product Development
- #Model Capabilities
- #Bitter Lesson
- The Bitter Lesson in AI: General methods leveraging computation are most effective.
- Avoid building around model deficiencies; pivot roadmaps to align with evolving model capabilities.
- Key questions: Unique value, leveraging model shifts, and building for future models.
- Changed approach: Early customer validation, spotting capability shifts, killing failing projects faster.
- Example: Notebook Agent initially failed due to model limitations but succeeded later with better models.
- Explore feature's AI integration was initially over-engineered, later simplified with tool calling agents.
- New principles: Get features to users early, validate with real use, not demos.
- Pay attention to model capability shifts; avoid sunk cost fallacy and celebrate failures.
- Retry failed ideas periodically or when new models release; timing is crucial.
- Building AI products requires adaptability, intellectual honesty, and celebrating learning from failures.