Foster Mentor Shaili Guru Offers 3 Tips to Transition to AI Product Management
Technology Management MBA alumna shares expertise from her career trajectory into a visionary AI and machine learning product management leader at Tech Trends Seminar.
By Mai Ling Slaughter
Artificial intelligence is evolving too quickly for most people to stay on the cutting edge, but one University of Washington Foster School of Business MBA graduate has a keen eye on what’s in store in the realm of AI product management.
Shortly after graduating from Foster’s Technology Management MBA (TMMBA) program, Shaili Guru (TMMBA 2017) transformed her career from product management into AI product management, proving herself an innovative leader across Fortune 500 companies including Nike, The Walt Disney Co. and most recently at T-Mobile.
On August 14, 2024, Guru returned to the classroom to share her journey and inspire both students and alumni to explore opportunities in AI and machine learning at the Tech Trends Seminar on AI Product Management: Bridging Tradition and Innovation.
The event was the final installment of the Technology Management MBA summer speaker series focused on AI, which also included a Tech @ the Top presentation on How Flyhomes is Disrupting Real Estate with AI.
The Evolution of AI Product Management: 3 Key Differences
Guru kicked off her Tech Trends Seminar with a brief overview of traditional product management before launching into some of the challenges she’d encountered when she made the transition to AI product management. After the talk, she highlighted these three key differences product managers should be aware of when moving into AI Product Management:
- Technical Complexity: AI projects often involve more complex technologies and algorithms, requiring a deeper understanding of data science and machine learning principles.
- Ethical Considerations: AI products come with unique ethical challenges, such as bias in algorithms and data privacy concerns, which must be carefully addressed throughout the development process.
- Uncertainty and Experimentation: AI products often involve more experimentation and iterative development, requiring a higher tolerance for uncertainty and a robust approach to measuring and interpreting results.
“Attending Shaili’s seminar on AI-driven product management was particularly enlightening as an aspiring product manager,” said Oanh Tran, a Technology Management MBA student who attended the seminar. “I learned that managing AI-driven products requires a unique approach, taking into account complexities such as data quality, ethical considerations, and continuous learning models.”
Nurturing the Next Generation of AI Talent
Guru’s expertise spans the entire AI product lifecycle, from ideation to go-to-market strategies, and she is generous with her knowledge as a frequent speaker for the Technology Management MBA program and beyond. A passionate advocate for AI education, Guru regularly leads workshops to bridge the gap between technical capabilities and business applications and share learnings from her own experience.
“While I entered the TMMBA program with a foundation in product management,” Guru said, “the experience significantly expanded my skill set and perspective. The program gave me a holistic understanding of business operations and corporate dynamics, which was invaluable in my career progression.”
After graduating, Guru had the opportunity to explore AI product management while working in Disney’s Technology Management Rotation program. “This leap presented a steep learning curve, requiring knowledge of AI technologies and their applications,” she said.
Guru shares that knowledge and other career development skills specifically with Foster MBA students through a unique mentoring program offered to students in the Technology Management MBA, as well as the Hybrid MBA and Global Executive MBA programs.
“As a leader in AI Product Management,” Guru said, “I’m committed to nurturing the next generation of talent in this rapidly evolving field. I aim to share knowledge, inspire and empower the next wave of AI product leaders, and drive innovation and ethical advancement in the field.”
Follow Guru via her blog at aipmguru.substack.com. Learn more about the UW Foster’s Technology Management MBA program at foster.edu/tmmba.
