Polly M Allen's Linkedin Analytics

As voice becomes the next new wave of AI implementations, the challenges around natural -feeling conversations will come front and center. Far too many people think a voice chatbot simply takes adding sound - the experience is far more complicated! I love this exciting approach from Speechmatics - it's something I remember Alexa struggling with!

Aaron Ng

Working with Voice AI has been a fascinating journey, but one thing that consistently trips me up is how easily these systems interrupt, often just because I pause to think. It's a small hiccup, but it highlights a bigger challenge: making conversations with AI feel as natural as those with humans. At Speechmatics, I've been exploring ways to make voice interactions feel more natural. In my latest blog post, I delve into how instruction-tuned Small Language Models (SLMs) can enhance end-of-turn detection by understanding the semantics of a conversation, not just the pauses. I've also included a complete code snippet to help you get started. 📝 Blog post: https://lnkd.in/eZ-Xxkfn 💻 GitHub repo: https://lnkd.in/eKwYYRf3 Would love to hear your thoughts, especially if you've faced similar challenges or have ideas on making voice interactions more natural! Let's make Voice AI a bit more human, one turn at a time. #VoiceAI #ConversationalAI

How to build smarter turn detection for Voice AI | Speechmatics

blog.speechmatics.com

As a long-time devotee of the em dash — I heartily concur. A lot of 'AI-generated tells' are just good style, underused.

Judy Tashbook Safern

Apparently, using an em dash is now considered a “tell” that your writing is AI-generated. That’s funny—for centuries, it was considered a tell that your writing had style. Not to gratuitously name drop but, as a literary publicist of a certain age, I have met—and represented—and lunched with some great thinkers over the years, giants in their fields. One such luminary was the late, TRULY great William Zinsser, who gave us that deliciously readable classic ON WRITING WELL. Lemme tell you what Bill said about the em dash so many of you are trashing: "The em dash," said he, "is an invaluable tool." He considered the semicolon and the colon "Victorian antiques" that he counseled should be used with discretion, remembering that their use will "slow to a Victorian pace the early-21st-century momentum you’re striving for.” In Bill's honor, here is my passionate defense of the em dash—because clarity, rhythm, and nuance matter. I won’t stop using em dashes. These felicitous lines signal an intentional pause—a shift in tone—an aside—a punchline. They help us breathe between ideas without the full stop of a period or the formality of a semicolon. They move thoughts forward and keep readers engaged. Also, I like the way a well-placed em dash accessorizes a sentence. lt was the opinion of my former lunch companion and phone buddy Bill Zinsser that “[w]riting is visual—it catches the eye before it has a chance to catch the brain.” If AI uses em dashes, maybe that says more about good writing than bad automation. (Full disclosure: I did use AI to help write this. Because I like my collaborators fast, smart, and unfailingly well-punctuated. Any errors are MINE.) #EmDashForever #WritingStyle #AIisMyCowriter #LinkedInWriters #LanguageMatters #OnWritingWell

2025/05/15

Are you ready for your interview to be conducted by an AI assistant? Is society ready? As Nico Posner points out - there are critical questions to address before 'my agent will talk to your agent' becomes the norm. Great insight into what this process looks like with the latest tools!

Nico Posner

14 days ago

The future of hiring arrived in my inbox: 'Your initial interview will be conducted by our AI assistant.' What followed was enlightening, efficient, and slightly unnerving. As AI transforms recruitment from both sides, I'm sharing my experience and the critical questions we need to address before 'my agent will talk to your agent' becomes the norm. #recruiting #ai #aiagents

When AI Becomes the Interviewer: My Experience on the Other Side of the Table

Nico Posner

UX professionals pivoting to AI? Absolutely. Come check out this podcast live to learn how from some amazing professionals who've made the journey. Can't wait for your story Yaddy Arroyo!!

Anne Cantera

DESIGNathon #2 look at this line up! Hear the stories of how these amazing humans made their pivot from UX to AI!

Unlock Your Early Bird Perks 🔓 Join our newsletter today to unlock exclusive access to course discounts, early bird perks, and other special opportunities. Don't miss out—sign up here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g-wzUdTQ

Let’s stop pretending—AI is replacing jobs. And in this episode, we talk openly about it: who’s most at risk, what skills matter now, and how leaders need to adapt. 🎬 Catch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dm5Ym9gN #AIProductLeader #futureofwork

2025/05/28

Senior Product Leaders & Future AI Innovators! AI is reshaping the future — will you lead or follow? Join our FREE AI Product Leadership Masterclass and gain the skills to thrive in 2025 and beyond. 💡 What you’ll learn: ✅ How to drive AI initiatives with confidence. ✅ Spot real opportunities (and dodge the hype). ✅ Position yourself as a standout AI leader. 📅 When: Wednesday, May 28th | Thursday, May 29th ⏰ Time: 4 PM PDT | 9 AM AEST Limited spots available — reserve yours now! 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gbf4yX7x #LearnAI #Free #AIProductLeadership #FREEMasterclass

If your company wasn't interested in ranking in Perplexity answers before - you will be now :) The future of AI e-commerce is here!

Alex Chriss

Proud to share that Perplexity has selected PayPal to power agentic commerce. Starting this summer in the U.S., consumers can check out instantly with PayPal or Venmo when they ask Perplexity to find products, book travel, or buy tickets. This partnership unlocks new possibilities, where conversations now drive commerce. We're making it easy and secure to shop right in the chat when inspiration strikes. It's a powerful step in making conversational commerce a reality. Read the release here: https://lnkd.in/gJc3HmhU

Interested in taking a PM Interview platform for a spin? (See what I did there)? Really, Itai Leibowitz is building something special. Don't pass up this opportunity if you're interviewing for PM roles.

Itai Leibowitz

🚴‍♂️ 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗠𝘀 - aka 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻//𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 🚴‍♀️ Free live class this Thursday, May 15 @ 6 pm ET (3 pm PT) 👇 (Additional slots next week!) If you've ever practiced for PM interviews, you know it kinda sucks. 😬 ❌ You're busy, tired, and drowning in a million things. ❌ Your motivation evaporates like good intentions to hit the gym after work. ❌ Worst of all, nobody tells you honestly if your answers are good or not. Interview prep is like physical exercise. If nobody's watching you, you'll always find a way to skip it. 💡 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗻-𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲? Based on an idea from one of our PM Gym members, we're experimenting with a new group-practice model: 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗻//𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀. Think about your favorite spin class: pumping music, an instructor who energizes you, and a group of folks pedaling with you. You push harder because everyone else does, too. That's exactly what Spin//terview Class is, but for PM mock interviews! Here's how it works: 𝟭. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲, 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 + 𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: Everyone tackles the same real-world PM interview prompt privately, each with their own AI interviewer. 𝟮. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 & 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: The AI grades your response using real-world PM interview rubrics from top companies. It scores you and gives actionable feedback. 𝟯. 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 & 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗽: We return to Zoom, reveal our scores, and break down the results. 1-2 brave volunteers will share their feedback, and we'll dissect it together, trading ideas, frameworks, and tips. 𝟰. 𝟳-𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴: Everyone who attends gets a free week inside the PM Interview Gym. It's like Duolingo for PM interviewing: a complete practice program with real-life mocks, 5-minute mini exercises for when you're busy, and calibrated AI feedback. 📢 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗠𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗠 𝗚𝘆𝗺: 💬 "This is such an amazing idea. It's the perfect product for this moment." 💬 "Blown away by the behavioral interview follow-up questions. I wasn't expecting this much depth." 💬 "I do it every day, this program is definitely going to improve my delivery." 💬 "These exercises are making me realize just how imprecise I can often be in these conversations. Super helpful to see that reflected back." 🎟️ 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻? 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭𝟱 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 If you're interested, comment GYM below or DM me. I'll send you the sign-up form. Class 1: Thursday, May 15 at 6 pm ET / 3 pm PT Class 2: Tuesday, May 20 at 12 pm ET / 9 am PT Additional options next week based on demand. Stop practicing alone. Come ride together. It'll be more fun and way more effective. 💪🚴‍♂️

🚨AI is everywhere. But where’s the ROI? Most AI initiatives are stuck in “cool demo” mode — not delivering real business value. If you’re a product leader, here’s the hard truth: More technical knowledge isn’t what’s missing. It’s the mindset. I’ve been there — leading Generative AI at Alexa, and now coaching hundreds of product leaders and companies through AI transformations. The ones who actually ship impactful AI products? They think differently. 🧠 That’s why I’m speaking at the Product Leader Summit Virtual Speaker Series on: 🎯 The AI Mindset for ROI: 5 Shifts to Drive Adoption and Impact 🔗 https://lu.ma/xl5w6xza You’ll walk away with: ✅ Five critical mindset shifts to stop spinning and start delivering ✅ Real-world tactics for balancing risk, velocity, and innovation ✅ Tools + frameworks to empower your team to lead in the AI era No fluff. Just what’s working right now, on the ground. 💬 Here’s what people said after I ran this session live: “So many wonderful takeaways! I loved the tool suggestions and mindset shifts.” “I left the session feeling I had learned some valuable insights that I can apply going forward and explore further." “Polly clearly knows her stuff.” If you’re tired of seeing AI projects stall — come learn what’s actually working. 👉 RSVP now and share with a PM friend who needs this: https://lu.ma/xl5w6xza #AIProductManagement #ProductLeadership #AIforGood #GenerativeAI #ProductLeaders #AIROI #AIStrategy #TechLeadership

2025/05/27

Product Management is Dead. But that’s just the beginning – it’s an evolution. In 2025, leading AI initiatives go far beyond shipping features. It’s about redefining value, reimagining user interaction, and shaping the future of technology. Join Polly Allen, the AI trailblazer behind Alexa’s generative answers, as she reveals: 🟣 How to lead AI initiatives effectively in 2025. 🟣 Ways to spot high-impact opportunities and avoid the hype. 🟣 How to stand out as an AI leader in any organization or venture. 📅 When: Wednesday, May 28th | Thursday, May 29th ⏰ Time: 4 PM PDT | 9 AM AEST 💻 Where: Online (Space is limited!) Get ready to lead the AI transformation your industry needs. Reserve your spot now! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gbf4yX7x #LearnAI #Free #AIProductLeadership #FREEMasterclass

2025/05/27

If AI can identify red flags in legal docs faster than humans, why not let it? In this week’s episode of AI Product Leader, Prasanna Limbu shares how she's using LLMs in her PhD research to bring clarity and access to public housing policies. This isn’t just theory—she’s actively building tools that could help those most overlooked by the system get real answers, fast. 🎬 Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gRUKDzqv #aiproductleadership #techforgood #learningai

AI agents aren’t just a future idea—they're here, and they’re already reshaping the way work gets done. In this week’s AI Afterhours episode, we break down the rise of autonomous AI agents and what it means when your coworkers might be code. Get real about the shifts happening NOW. 🎬 Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dm5Ym9gN #aiafterhours #aileadership #agenticAI

Unlock the full potential of AI in your product management journey. Here’s what you'll learn: 🟣 What does it really mean to lead AI initiatives in 2025? 🟣 How do you identify high-impact AI opportunities and avoid overhyped distractions? 🟣 What’s the fastest way to become the go-to AI leader in your organization – or build projects that truly stand out? Join Polly Allen, the trailblazer behind the first generative AI answers on Amazon Alexa in 2020, for a free webinar. 📅 May 28th at 4pm PDT | May 29th at 9am AEST ⏳ Spots are filling fast — grab yours now! ⬇️ 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gbf4yX7x #LearnAI #Free #AIProductLeadership #FREEMasterclass

2025/05/28

Did you know women had to lower their voices to use early voice assistants? 🤯 In this week’s episode, Camila Buenamar shares the eye-opening truth behind gender bias in AI—and how a single book changed her career path. This one will stick with you. 🎬Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gvP4Wxp5 #AIProductManagement #WomenInAI #InclusiveDesign #BiasInTech #AICareers #ProductLeadership

Attention Senior Product Leaders and Aspiring AI Innovators! Reimagine your role and stay ahead in the AI era. FREE Masterclass with an Industry Expert in AI Product Leadership. Here’s what you'll learn: • How to lead AI initiatives in 2025 effectively. • Ways to spot high-impact opportunities and avoid the hype. • How to stand out as an AI leader in any organization or venture. 🗓 When: Wednesday, May 28th | Thursday, May 29th ⏰ Time: 4 PM PDT | 9 AM AEST Don’t miss this chance to elevate your AI leadership journey. Space is limited. Reserve your spot now! 👉 https://lnkd.in/gbf4yX7x 👈 #LearnAI #Free #AIProductLeadership #FREEMasterclass

2025/05/24

The most dangerous thing in tech right now? A majority of product leaders feel "confident" about AI... while missing the revolution happening under their noses. I'm seeing too many orgs celebrating their "AI transformation" while shipping chatbots driven by top-down requests and cost-cutting automation. We're optimizing the wrong things, asking the wrong questions, and dangerously overconfident about our readiness to lead in the AI era. This isn't about learning prompt engineering or keeping up with the latest LLM releases. It's about fundamentally reimagining what it means to create value when AI is a core capability — not just a feature. Three questions every product leader should be asking: 🤔 What if AI isn't just another tool in our stack, but a complete reinvention of how users interact with technology? 🤔 What if the "product surface" isn't a UI anymore, but an intelligent agent that works alongside users? 🤔 What if our role isn't to define features, but to architect intelligence that augments human capability? Join Polly Allen, the trailblazer behind the first generative AI answers on Amazon Alexa in 2020, for a free webinar as she guides you through the evolving landscape of AI product leadership. 📅 Wed., May 28th at 4pm PDT | Thurs., May 29th at 9am AEST. Space is limited. Reserve your spot now. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gbf4yX7x 👈 #LearnAI #Free #AIProductLeadership #FREEMasterclass

A message that deserves to be spread... On the same day, misinformed influencers claimed 'Microsoft lays of thousands to be replaced by AI', while Klarna started hiring people back after trying to go all-AI.... I stand by my predictions that this will be more like aviation co-pilots like autopilots: changing the nature of our work, amplifying results, but not entirely replacing people, for reasons both technical and social.

Brendten Eickstaedt

14 days ago

Let’s kill the fantasy. AI isn’t replacing real software engineers anytime soon. Stop letting LinkedIn influencers with zero build experience convince you otherwise. At Fama, we’ve had an “AI Engineer” running for six months. It’s just now starting to fix basic bugs and security issues—and only after hours of hand-holding from senior devs. My team could’ve done the work faster themselves. We’re still investing in it. It’s a tool with long-term potential. But saying it can replace a legit mid-level engineer? That’s not just wrong—it’s clueless. Vibe coding might get you a slick UI demo, but it collapses the second you need tests, edge case handling, or actual infrastructure. The hype is loud. The results are quiet. Don’t fall for the noise.

2025/05/27

I didn’t set out to leave Big Tech. As a Principal PM at Amazon Alexa, I led the launch of the first generative AI answers Alexa had ever uttered. I had the technical chops, the senior title — but still felt out of place in rooms where decisions were being made. I noticed a pattern: Even experienced, capable leaders were being sidelined in the AI conversation. Not because they weren’t smart — but because they didn’t fit the narrow mold of what “AI leadership” was supposed to look like. If you didn’t have a PhD… If you didn’t speak like a research paper… If you asked questions about users, ethics, or real-world constraints — you were labeled as a blocker, not a builder. Eventually, I burned out. I stepped back. And I realized the real problem: ⭐We’re building the future of technology with a shockingly narrow set of voices — and it’s costing us better products, smarter decisions, and broader impact.⭐ So I started AI Career Boost (in 2022 - RIGHT before the ChatGPT explostion) — to help a new wave of product and business leaders step into AI from where they are, with the strengths they already have. Because AI doesn’t just need more code. It needs more perspective. If you’ve ever felt like you’re on the outside looking in when it comes to AI — this is your path in. 💥 Join me for a free masterclass: The Path to AI Leadership 🗓️ May 28 at 4pm PT / May 29 at 9am AEST 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g64gFChW #AI #ProductLeadership #CareerGrowth #TechLeadership #AIProductManagement #InclusiveInnovation #NextGenLeaders

Registration Page - The Path to AI Product Leadership WEBINAR 2025

aicareerboost.com