Is the AI spending spree about to come back and bite product managers? Companies are encouraging teams to experiment with AI, but who's keeping track of the costs, and is all that investment paying off? In this episode, Joe Ghali, Todd Blaquiere, and Ryan Cantwell dig into the hidden costs of AI, why promised productivity gains don't always translate into business value, and what happens when the CFO starts asking tough questions about AI ROI. We also discuss how product managers can balance experimentation with financial responsibility without putting the brakes on innovation.

Before the AI bill comes due, pull up a chair on the porch and find out how to make sure your AI investments are worth it.

The AI Reckoning: What's Coming?
[02:16] Why growing AI adoption could lead to some uncomfortable financial surprises.
[03:16] Early warning signs that companies may be losing control of AI spending.
[04:11] Five hidden AI costs that could catch organizations off guard.
[07:27] Have product managers forgotten how to account for the costs of technology?

AI Costs and Financial Accountability
[09:31] Why treating AI as overhead can hide its impact on product profitability.
[10:18] How AI usage costs should influence the pricing of customer-facing products.
[11:26] What previous technology revolutions can teach us about the AI boom.
[12:33] Why managing AI expenses may require lessons from cloud cost management.

The Pressure to Experiment
[13:08] How pressure to experiment can encourage AI investments without clear outcomes.
[14:25] Why product leaders are watching consumption costs and potential price increases.
[16:19] Which AI expenses product managers should be responsible for managing.
[18:42] The tension between encouraging AI experimentation and controlling its costs.

Are AI Efficiency Gains Worth the Investment?
[21:13] How rapidly improving AI tools complicate investment decisions and experimentation.
[22:19] Why financial scrutiny could make us better product managers.
[23:20] How to justify human involvement and connect AI efficiency to business value.
[24:51] Why saving a few minutes doesn't always create meaningful productivity gains.

Preparing for the AI Reckoning
[26:15] Why AI adoption isn't an outcome and what product managers should measure instead.
[26:52] How product management fundamentals help justify AI investments and spending.
[27:38] Why experimenting with AI doesn't eliminate financial responsibility.

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