Supra Insider

#46: How AI is blurring the line between Design and PM | Will Newton (Principal Product Architect @ Amplitude)

Feb 24, 2025

Will Newton, Principal Product Architect at Amplitude, brings a wealth of experience from Gusto and startups. He dives into how AI is reshaping product design and management. The conversation reveals the growing overlap between product managers and designers, driven by AI tools. Will discusses the importance of understanding user needs and the necessity for continuous learning. He advocates for a collaborative approach in product development, urging teams to prioritize real user data over aesthetics as they navigate these changes.

01:16:06

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Episode guests

Will Newton

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Mastering fundamental design principles such as user needs and psychology is essential for creating impactful designs, even as AI evolves the field.

The blurring of roles among product managers, designers, and engineers encourages cross-disciplinary skills, fostering collaboration and dynamic problem-solving in product teams.

AI-driven rapid prototyping enhances workflow efficiency, enabling teams to visualize concepts quickly, gather feedback sooner, and focus on strategic design aspects.

Deep dives

Understanding Core Design Principles

Designers should prioritize mastering fundamental design principles such as understanding user needs, psychology, hierarchy, and typography. These principles remain timeless and are essential for creating impactful designs. When designers can dissect their reactions to visual stimuli, they can use this critical thinking to iteratively improve their designs. This ongoing process of refinement is key to successful design, ensuring that outcomes can always evolve and enhance user experiences.

Intro

5min

Evolving Roles in Product Management and AI

28min

Navigating Design in the Age of AI

13min

Navigating the Evolution of Design Tools in the Digital Age

3min

Collaborative Product Development in the Age of AI

23min

The Future of Product Design and Management Roles

3min

Connecting with the Guest and Recommendations

3min

Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with Will Newton, Principal Product Architect at Amplitude. With years of experience at companies like Gusto and Feather, Will shares insights into how AI is transforming the design world—from prototyping workflows to the evolving roles within product teams.

The conversation explores how AI tools are blurring roles between product managers, designers, and engineers while speeding up development cycles. If you're interested in AI's impact on product development, don't miss this episode!

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In this episode, we covered the following topics:

* How AI-powered prototyping tools are reshaping the design process

* Why the lines between PMs and designers are becoming increasingly blurred

* How AI is enabling individuals to do more, faster—and what that means for teams

* Why PMs and designers should embrace prototyping and design thinking

* How intuition, iteration, and focus remain essential in an AI-driven world

* The future of product roles as AI enhances both creativity and productivity

* And much more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Will Newton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamnewton/

* Will Newton’s X: https://x.com/willdjthrill