Signals from the Edge - 28 Apr 2025

Our Quick Take

In a landscape where AI is reshaping not just tools but entire value chains, tech leaders must shift focus from chasing features to mastering adaptability. The edge belongs to those who design for emergence, not just efficiency.

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New & Newsworthy

1. Product Discovery: Are You Solving the Right Problem?

In the rush to integrate emerging tech, many teams fall into the trap of validating solutions, not problems. True product leadership lies in framing discovery around customer value, not just feasibility.

• Marty Cagan on Discovery: Problem vs. Solution

2. AI as Infrastructure: From Feature to Foundation

AI is no longer an add-on—it's becoming the surface on which modern products operate. From OpenAI's billion-user interactions to Google's AI Agent Development Kit, leaders must rethink UX, orchestration, and scalability in an AI-native world.

• A Billion OpenAI Users a Week

• Google’s Agent Development Kit Accelerates AI Deployment

• Stanford’s 2025 AI Index Highlights Global AI Shift

3. Beyond the AI Hype: Watching the Right Inflection Points

AI isn’t just automating tasks—it’s redefining value chains, infrastructure, and what counts as "possible." Leaders need to look past buzzwords to the underlying shifts in compute, workflows, and business models.

• AI Will Transform the World—But Not How You Think

• Keep an Eye on Quantum, Edge, and Cloud

• Gartner’s Emerging Tech Hype Cycle

4. The Efficiency Revolution: Small Models, Big Impact

The era of "bigger is better" in AI is fading. Lean models, such as DeepSeek-V2, and the critique of oversized context windows point to a smarter approach: optimize for speed, cost, and integration agility over raw power.

• DeepSeek-V2: Top Coding Performance in 14B Parameters

• Bigger Isn’t Always Better: The Cost of Multi-Million Token LLMs

5. Standardization Signals: The AI Stack Matures

With Google and OpenAI backing Model Context Protocol (MCP), interoperability is becoming the backbone of AI ecosystems. This convergence reduces friction and unlocks modular innovation—but demands strategic governance.

• Google Embraces Anthropic’s MCP Standard

• Everything Wrong with MCP — A Cautionary View

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Our Thinking

Is Agile Dying—or Evolving?

Agile isn't dead, but the complexity and fluidity of modern product environments is outpacing it. Leaders must move beyond rituals and rediscover agility as a mindset tuned for adaptability, not ceremony.

For a deeper dive, check out the full article → Is Agile Dying?

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