Product Development in the Age of AI (1st session)
Product Development in the Age of AI
(1st session)
East Bay Founders: Product & Engineering Leadership User Group
Thursday, July 16, 2026
5:00 PM - 7:30 PM (Doors open 4:30)
Zinfi Office: 4733 Chabot Drive, Suite 175, Pleasanton, CA 94588
AI is not simply changing software development.
It is fundamentally reshaping how products are imagined, designed, built, tested, and delivered.
The traditional playbook of lengthy Product Requirement Documents (PRDs), quarterly roadmaps, and carefully staged releases is rapidly evolving into something very different:
Prototypes built in hours instead of weeks
AI agents participating directly in product workflows
Continuous experimentation and feedback loops
Smaller teams delivering dramatically larger outcomes
Products that increasingly adapt and evolve after launch
As organizations embrace AI-native product development, leaders face a new set of challenges:
What does product development look like in an AI-first world?
Are agile methodologies still sufficient?
How do teams balance speed with governance, trust, and reliability?
What new skills will product and engineering leaders need?
How do organizations avoid creating technical debt at AI speed?
What happens when products continuously learn and evolve?
Join us for a candid discussion with product and AI leaders who are actively navigating these changes.
This session will focus on real-world experiences, practical lessons, and the strategic decisions leaders must make as AI becomes part of the product development lifecycle.
Featured Speakers
Naren Chawla (Oracle)
Naren brings extensive experience leading product organizations through periods of rapid technological change, with a focus on innovation, execution, and scaling modern product teams.
Kaushik Ghosh ( ex Intuit )
Kaushik Ghosh is a technology leader and former Intuit and Sage Intacct engineering leader specializing in tax, compliance, and financial systems. He is focused on applying AI to accelerate product development and transform regulated business domains.
More Speakers/Panelists to be announced
Discussion Topics
AI-native product development
The future of Product Requirement Documents (PRDs)
Agent-assisted development workflows
Product management in an AI-first organization
Governance, security, and trust
Continuous learning products
Organizational design and team structure
What founders should be doing now
Event Format
4:30 PM - Doors Open
5:00 PM - Networking & Refreshments
Meet fellow founders, product leaders, engineering leaders, and AI practitioners from across the East Bay.
5:30 PM - Executive Context
A strategic framing discussion on how AI is changing the product development lifecycle and what leaders should be paying attention to over the next 3 to 5 years.
5:50 PM - Practitioner Perspectives
Real-world examples and lessons learned from organizations adopting AI-native development practices.
6:20 PM - Moderated Discussion
An interactive conversation exploring:
Where AI is creating the most leverage
What leaders are underestimating
New risks emerging from AI-native workflows
How successful teams are adapting
6:50 PM - Takeaways & Community Discussion
Key insights, open discussion, and networking.
7:00 PM onward - Optional Social Hour
Continue the conversation with peers and fellow operators.
Who Should Attend?
Founders
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)
Chief Technology Officers (CTOs)
Product leaders
Engineering leaders
AI practitioners
Startup operators
Innovation leaders
Whether you're building AI products, integrating AI into existing products, or trying to understand what AI means for your roadmap and organization, this session is designed to provide practical insights from leaders actively navigating the transition.
East Bay Founders
Building a community of founders and operators committed to sharing practical experience, meaningful connections, and high-signal conversations that help companies grow.