Rupa Chaturvedi

Human Centered AI Institute

Founder

Vybe Snacks

Stanford University

Adjunct Lecturer (Product Design)

Miraj Sustainable Racing Club

California's first sustainable racing club

Founder & President

Reforge

Co-created the "Generative AI Products: How to get from Idea to MVP" course for product managers, design and user research leaders, consultants and founders. Understand AI by getting hands-on with this practical course taught by industry experts.

Partner

Uber

Head of Merchant & Ads Design

First Round Capital

Product & UX Design Mentor

Google

UX Design Manager

Amazon

I manage and lead a team of UX and Personality designers focused on Conversational AI within the Alexa Shopping group in Amazon. Collectively, my team and I conceptualize, deliver design and strategy to help launch customer experiences that span upper funnel, inspiration and product discovery; product evaluation and research, and post purchase needs of our customer. We are fierce advocates for our customers and leverage multiple sources of data from qualitative to quantitative to guide our intuition and measure our efficacy. The impact we have generated is a combination of customer experience vision, strategic frameworks and mental models as well as design systems for interaction with Alexa by voice and devices in the context of shopping.

Sr UX Designer, Alexa Shopping

Lead UX Designer for Augmented Reality (AR) experiences at Amazon

Sr UX Designer

Sentient Technologies

Helped launch an AI-enabled shopping product that will change the way shoppers shop online. 
Conceptualized and designed multi-channel user experiences for a breakthrough visual search technology product - redefining how consumers shop online.

Helped launch a breakthrough AI enabled online shopping product within 5 months.
Contributed from conceptualizing the UI and product strategy/features to final implementation through whiteboard sketches, wire-frames, high fidelity prototypes and design specifications.

Followed a thorough user centered design process to gather insights into shopper behavior and expectations as well as iterative design based on feedback from user testing.

Head of Design - Visual Intelligence

Head of Merchant & Ads Design at Uber, Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University

I'm building a world-class AI education institute that puts humans at the center of the AI revolution. Our mission is to empower professionals worldwide to create AI solutions that deliver tangible value for both businesses and end users. We're committed to making AI education accessible, enabling people from all backgrounds to help shape technology's future.

Hard truth for UX designers: if your role looks the same in 2 years, that’s a red flag.

If your value is defined by producing UI artifacts (wireframes, mockups, and redlines) you are in a precarious position. AI models are already exceptionally good at pattern matching and interface generation.

But if your value is defined by system design, you have never been more necessary.

There is a shift from "designing for the user" to "designing for the system."

When an AI agent acts on behalf of a user, it doesn't need a UI. It needs:

- Behavioral Specs: What is the acceptable range of autonomy for this model?
- Adaptive Context: How does the system pivot when the user’s intent is ambiguous?
- Human-in-the-Loop Protocols: When must the human step in for oversight?

These are design responsibilities. They require moving upstream to shape what the system learns and how it decides.

This is exactly why I developed the Advanced AI & Agentic Design curriculum. We stop looking at screens and start looking at system behaviors. We focus on defining constraints, designing for non-deterministic outcomes, and building trust in autonomous flows.

The designers who survive this shift will be the ones who can define the guardrails of the systems we are building. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3MjqTzM

Design & AI Leader | Stanford Lecturer | AI enablement for UX orgs | ex-Uber, Google, Amazon

Google's Head of Product announced a shift from "writing-first to building-first culture."

Microsoft's CPO said "prompt sets are the new PRDs."

Product management went through a transformation in the past 18 months that UX designers are just starting to feel.

When you can see a shift happening in an adjacent discipline, you have visibility others don't. The question is whether you use it strategically.

I've been mapping what the PM precedent signals for UX roles—and how designers can position themselves while the industry is still figuring out what these roles look like.

Check out my latest newsletter for more on this:

This is the AI UX Brief - my weekly newsletter on designing intelligent systems, leadership in the AI era, and navigating the messy reality of AIUX. F

Open article: Redefining UX Value: The Shift from Execution to Influence by Rupa Chaturvedi • 5 min read

Redefining UX Value: The Shift from Execution to Influence

Meta, Google, OpenAI, Anthropic - they're paying AI PMs up to $600K+.
Why? Because these PMs aren't writing PRDs anymore. They're architecting intelligent systems - designing model behavior, shaping evaluation frameworks, defining how AI thinks and decides.

The role has evolved from coordination to creation. And the market is paying accordingly.

Designers have a unique opportunity here. System thinking, behavioral specification, mental models - these are already in our DNA. Now it's about applying them to intelligence architecture.

Product's transformation is our preview. They're 12-18 months ahead on this curve, and their playbook is completely visible. We can see exactly which capabilities the market values and how to develop them.

In this week's issue, I break down what designers can learn from Product's transformation - the specific capabilities commanding these salaries and strategies for positioning themselves effectively.

Open article: The $600K Question: What AI PMs Know That UX Designers Don't (Yet) by Rupa Chaturvedi • 6 min read

The $600K Question: What AI PMs Know That UX Designers Don't (Yet)

I got a message this week from a UX Director at a FAANG company 6 weeks after completing MXDAI:

“Org changes have been constant here, and the structure is getting flatter every quarter. The expectations on designers have shifted too. My team and I are being pulled into more conversations about how the AI behaves, not just how it looks on the surface. PM and Eng expect us to have a clear point of view there, and if we don’t, we’re not really influencing the product. MXDAI helped me step into those conversations with more confidence. It’s made a noticeable difference in how I show up and how my team gets included.”

What resonated with me is how common this has become.

Across companies, designers are being asked to take on a level of strategic influence that isn’t written into the job description but is now core to how teams move forward. 

As orgs continue to flatten, leaders and ICs are figuring out how to stay relevant in a landscape where expectations rise even as layers disappear. The people who can bring clarity to messy AI questions and ambiguous decisions are the ones carrying a different kind of weight.

This is the work we focus on inside MXDAI.

We’re currently the number one AI design course on Maven, and now you know why.

Maven also extended the promo for one more day today, in case you’ve been considering joining the next cohort - take advantage of the 25% tuition discount - offer expires tonight/

If you’re facing similar changes or want to get ahead of what’s coming, feel free to reach out.

cc Maven

There’s been so much talk lately about PMs vibe-coding prototypes and PRDs being replaced with “just build something and show me.”
But here’s what I keep coming back to: designers need these skills just as much as PMs do, maybe more.

Our stakeholders are adopting AI tools at a pace that’s hard to ignore. The workflows between design, product and engineering are shifting fast. If designers don’t build fluency in this space, they’ll get left behind.

Vibe coding isn’t about learning to code. It’s about learning to build.

When you can build with AI tools, even scrappy prototypes, you collapse the distance between an idea and something you can actually interact with. You get to explore AI behaviors and edge cases hands-on instead of trying to explain them through diagrams and long documents.

And as you experiment with different tools, you start developing a deeper understanding of the underlying tech, the constraints, the limitations and what’s truly feasible. That knowledge changes how you design. It sharpens your instincts. It gives you language and clarity your stakeholders instantly recognize.

This is also where designers make a shift. You stop worrying about perfect wireframes and start focusing on how to validate your assumptions. You move from being the person who “hands things off” to becoming a strategic partner who brings real, testable workflows to the table.

Designers who lean into this aren’t just speeding up their process. They’re shaping how AI products come to life.

If you’re ready to invest in these skills, take a look at MXDAI: https://bit.ly/48o50YD 
We learn by doing. You’ll explore a range of AI tools, build real workflows, and leave with a portfolio-worthy project that reflects how AI design actually happens today.

NOTE: Currently, Maven is offering a flat 25% discount on the next cohort and its valid only for this. week.

I developed the Mastering AI Productivity, Mastering Product Management, and Product Innovation Strategy courses at Reforge. Join us for the upcoming cohort!

* Mastering AI Productivity - Learn how leading product managers use AI to become faster, smarter, and gain super powers beyond their traditional role.

* Mastering Product Management - Level up your product management abilities by mastering each of the most critical product management deliverables.

* Product Innovation Strategy - Getting to product/market fit isn’t a straight path. Learn a systematic approach to iteration and idea validation to realize your goal.

Course Creator

SachinRekhi.com

I've written 175+ essays with over 3 million views on product management. Check them out here: http://www.sachinrekhi.com

Author

I recently launched The Sachin Rekhi Show, a new video series sharing actionable frameworks on improving your craft as a product manager. Check them out here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSachinRekhi

Video Creator

I'm frequently asked to be a speaker and workshop host on product management at companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Capital One, Cisco, and more.

Check out some of the talks I've previously given here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsPCoIQy_CmCyVcfReLOHxR4PE5XMlFJs

And feel free to reach out if you'd like to explore having me speak at your next event.

Speaker

Notejoy

Notejoy is a fast and focused notes app for you and your team.

Available for Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and the web. Signup for free at Notejoy.com

Founder & CEO

The Wharton School

I regularly guest lecture on product management in Professor Karl Ulrich and Professor Lori Rosenkopf's Wharton MBA and undergraduate classes.

Guest Lecturer

LettersToZoe.com

As a new father, I'm eager to share every life lesson I've learned with my daughter, Zoe. In that vein, I've started LettersToZoe.com, where I share letters to my daughter on such lessons and the journey I went through to learn them.

Writer

Various Startups

I've advised 20+ startups on product strategy, including:

* Beeloo - a daily alternative to screen time for kids
* Accord - a customer collaboration platform
* Lyra Health - a smarter approach to mental health 
* People.ai - know what your sales team is up to
* Accompany.com - unleash every relationship's potential (acquired by Cisco)
* Hightail - collaborate on creative projects (acquired by OpenText)
* Kite - AI powered code completions
* DarwinAI - accelerate deep learning development with explainable AI
* Maker.me - share the stories behind your products
* Node.io - account based intelligence (acquired by SugarCRM)
* Pattern.ai - the intelligent sales workspace (acquired by Workday)
* Simppler.com - build teams collectively (acquired by Teamable)
* Zently.io - simplifying rental living (acquired by Uber)
* Weave.in - a personalized professional introduction every week
* Bonafide.co - unlock your team's entire network

Advisor & Consultant

LinkedIn

Incubated and launched the all-new LinkedIn Sales Navigator, a premium solution for turbo-charging social selling in B2B sales organizations by helping sales professionals gain insights into their prospects, expand their network within their company, and reduce their number of cold calls.

During my tenure, grew the Sales Solutions business to north of $200 million annual run-rate and established Sales Solutions as the third pillar in LinkedIn's Hire, Market, and Sell monetization strategy.

Head of Product, Sales Solutions

Led the team behind LinkedIn Contacts, a smarter way to stay in touch with your most important relationships, based on the acquisition of my startup Connected by LinkedIn.

Also led the integration of LinkedIn into OS X Mavericks, enabling members to connect, share, and be notified of their LinkedIn activity throughout the desktop OS and core applications.

Managed the Relationships team, comprised of 3 of LinkedIn's acquisitions, including Connected, Rapportive, and CardMunch.

Head of Product, Relationships

Connected

Connected enables contact management without the work. It pulls in data from your email, calendar, and social networks to bring all your contacts and conversations together in one place.

Connected raised seed funding from Trinity Ventures, 500 Startups, and Ignition Partners in June 2011.

Connected was acquired by LinkedIn in October 2011 and relaunched as the new LinkedIn Contacts in April 2013.

Trinity Ventures

Explored what would eventually become my next big venture: Connected.

Entrepreneur in Residence

imeem

Led emerging monetization efforts, including international monetization, online audio advertising, and imeem VIP, a premium subscription service.

Drove the product development of the imeem Media Platform, allowing third party developers to build compelling media centric applications leveraging imeem's music streaming, playlisting, and recommendations infrastructure. Led platform design, product management, developer relations, business development, and platform evangelism, resulting in the platform reaching over 250 million daily API requests.

Senior Product Manager

Anywhere.FM is a web music player that allows you to experience music where you want it.

Championed the voice of the customer through customer feedback, led user acquisition, drove the investigation of the business model and associated financial projections, as well as analyzed business development opportunities.

Anywhere.FM reached over 15 million user uploaded tracks and over 100,000 registered users.

Anywhere.FM raised seed funding from Y Combinator, Paul Graham, Paul Buchheit, and Mixin Capital.

Anywhere.FM was acquired by imeem in December 2007 and relaunched as imeem VIP in 2008.

Founder, Anywhere.FM

Helping product managers become more rigorous, strategic, and innovative. Sharing my wisdom through essays, videos, online courses, and workshops.

✍️: SachinRekhi.com
📺: youtube.com/@TheSachinRekhi
🎓: Reforge.com

Sachin Rekhi

Want my TLDR on what each AI prototyping tool is best for? 👇

Best AI App Builders
1️⃣ Bolt - Rapid iteration and speed
2️⃣ v0 - Front-end UI experiences
3️⃣ Replit - Robust full-stack experiences
4️⃣ Lovable - Non-technical users
5️⃣ Base44 - Non-technical users
6️⃣ Google Firebase Studio - Full-stack experiences for Google customers
7️⃣ Google AI Studio - Building Google AI apps
8️⃣ Microsoft GitHub Spark - Microsoft customers

Best AI Prototyping Tools
9️⃣ Reforge Build - Product teams focused on full-stack experiences
1️⃣0️⃣ Magic Patterns - Product teams focused on front-end experiences
1️⃣1️⃣ Figma Make - Figma designers
1️⃣2️⃣ Alloy - Matching your existing product design

Best AI Coding Tools
1️⃣3️⃣ Cursor - Technical users
1️⃣4️⃣ Claude Code - The most technical users

Helping product managers master their craft | 3x Founder | ex-LinkedIn, Microsoft

I just dropped the most comprehensive guide to AI prototyping tools with Adam Fishman.

14 tools. 3 categories. One simple framework to pick the right one.

But here's what matters more than the tools: AI prototyping is fundamentally changing how the best teams prioritize their roadmaps.

Instead of problem → design → build, they're now prototyping multiple solutions FIRST, then prioritizing based on the best problem/solution pairs.

This is how Apple, Stripe, and Anthropic work. And now it's accessible to any team.

Read the full breakdown and discover which prototyping tool is the best fit for you → https://lnkd.in/gEPS3sY5

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