The AI landscape seems to change every week with new developments and launches, but the companies at the forefront of the revolution are still putting in lots of thought into planning their operations.
Kevin Weil, Chief Product Officer at OpenAI, offered a glimpse into the company’s product planning process, revealing a dynamic approach designed to navigate the unpredictable terrain of AI innovation. His insights, shared in a recent discussion, highlight the balance between structured planning and the flexibility required in a field as rapidly evolving as artificial intelligence. Particularly interesting is his emphasis on the very process of planning, rather than rigid adherence to a pre-determined roadmap, and the acknowledgement that plans are likely to change significantly over time.
Weil explained their approach: “We do quarterly roadmapping. We laid out sort of a year-long strategy.” However, he’s quick to point out the limitations of long-term plans in such a dynamic environment: “I don’t for a second believe that what we write down in these documents is what we’re going to actually ship three months from now, let alone six or nine.”
This inherent uncertainty, though, isn’t a cause for concern. Weil adds: “But that’s okay. There’s an Eisenhower quote: ‘Plans are useless, planning is helpful,’ which I totally subscribe to, especially in this world.” He goes on to explain the value of the planning process itself: “If you think about quarterly roadmapping, for example, it’s really valuable to have a moment where you stop and go, ‘Okay, what do we do? What worked? What went well? What didn’t go well? What did we learn? And now what do we think we’re going to do next?'”
Collaboration and dependency management are also key components: “And by the way, everybody has some dependencies and so you want to have a second to kind of check your dependencies, make sure you’re good to go, and then start executing.” Finally, Weil emphasizes the iterative, adaptive nature of their planning: “We try and keep that really lightweight because it’s not going to be alright – we’re gonna throw it out halfway because we will have learned new things. So the moment of planning is helpful, even if it’s only partially right.”
Weil’s words will resonate with companies trying to navigate the current AI landscape. The breakneck speed of advancements means that your products, which you might have painstakingly planned to create, might become obsolete overnight after a launch from a competitor, or a new discovery or paradigm. This could be quite unnerving for founders, making them question the virtues of planning at all in a market that was so dynamic and rapidly-changing.
OpenAI’s strategy, as described by Weil, reflects a need for adaptability while still drawing up broad plans. By prioritizing the process of planning and acknowledging the likelihood of change, the company positions itself to respond effectively to new discoveries, market shifts, and evolving user needs. This agile methodology also allows OpenAI to incorporate feedback and learnings quickly, and the quarterly roadmap serves as a touchpoint for reflection and reassessment, ensuring that the company remains responsive to both internal progress and external factors. Thus far, it seems to be working, with OpenAI regularly releasing powerful models and creating the odd viral moment with the Ghibli trend. And it might be a smart playbook to follow for companies looking to create and build in these fast-paced times.