AI won't build your product. People do.

I was catching up with a partner and a few friends recently, and the conversation naturally turned to AI.

We all use these tools, and we appreciate what they can do. But every single person at the table agreed on one thing: when it comes to real human connection — having a chat, building relationships, social life — nobody wants to talk to a robot. We want to talk to real people.

It got me thinking about how this plays out in physical product development.

The story being sold

Right now everyone is asking whether AI will take over product management and run factories automatically. The pitch is that soon you'll type a prompt into a laptop and a finished product will land at your warehouse without anyone lifting a finger.

If you actually build physical products for a living, you know that's not how it works.

AI is great for drafting early CAD concepts, translating spec sheets, or organising data. But AI doesn't manufacture tangible goods. Humans do.

The reality of AI in R&D and production

Garbage in, garbage out. AI only gives good answers if you ask the right questions. If your R&D inputs lack context on factory tooling or material tolerances, AI just helps you make a mistake faster.

Algorithms don't walk the floor. AI can't step onto an assembly line, talk to a master pattern maker, or work out why a machine operator misread a drawing.

Nobody reacts to a bot. Factories are run by people. When production stalls or a quality dispute comes up, getting priority comes down to real relationships and direct follow-up — not an automated message.

Tools generate ideas. People manage the execution.

AI will make smart teams faster. It will never replace the human communication required to get real products built right.