Paul Adams
Chief Product Officer at Intercom
Paul Adams is CPO at Intercom, a role he has held for over 10 years. Previously global head of brand design at Facebook, user researcher at Google, product designer at Dyson, and automotive interior designer.
Dimension Profile
Key Themes
Episode Summary
Paul Adams shares Intercom's experience going all-in on AI, offering a simple framework: start with what your product does, then ask whether AI can do that — leading to either replacement or augmentation strategies. He also shares vulnerable stories of public failure including freezing on stage, and what a decade as CPO at Intercom has taught him about product leadership.
Leadership Principles
- → AI is a meteor coming toward you — if you don't explore it properly, it will leave you behind
- → Go back to basics: What does your product do? Why do people use it? Then ask: Can AI do that?
- → For some things AI will replace, for others it will augment — you must figure out which applies to you
Notable Quotes
"This is a meteor coming towards you. This is going to radically transform society. If people don't explore AI properly, it will leave them behind."
— On why every product leader must take AI seriously as a strategic imperative
"Go back to basics. What's the core premise behind your product? Why do people use it? Then ask, 'Can AI do that?' For a lot, the answer is going to be yes."
— On a simple framework for thinking about AI's impact on your product
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