AI Cafe: Stop Coding, Start Thinking
AI Cafe: Stop Coding, Start Thinking
A conversation on how AI is changing the role of engineering: from writing every line of code to defining the context, constraints, and judgment that shape what gets built. Drawing from Bri’s experience leading architecture at Product.ai, this talk explores why execution is getting cheaper, why decision-making is getting more valuable, and how the future belongs to people who can think clearly, set strong guardrails, and build with conviction.
Agenda - AI Networking
8:45 - 9:30 am • Coffee and Socialize
9:30- 10:30 am • Talk and Presentation
10:30- 11:00 am • Networking
April 16th, 2026
Bri Stanback is the technical co-founder and Chief Architect at Product.ai (formerly Demand.io), where she has been building and evolving the platform since 2013. Over the past decade, she has shaped the systems behind SimplyCodes — from its earliest foundations to a distributed architecture built to scale with resilience. Her work spans privacy-first browser extensions, large-scale data pipelines, and AI-driven systems like ShopGraph, a knowledge layer combining machine learning and community-sourced signals to better understand how people shop.
Her current focus is the evolving role of the architect in the age of AI: as code generation becomes cheaper, the work moves upstream toward defining intent, setting constraints, and deciding what good looks like. Earlier in her career, Bri co-founded an aerial photography company and built SaaS platforms in sustainability and energy. She holds a degree in Computer Science from Colorado State University.
Tess Fenn is a community architect, brand strategist, and cultural curator who builds high-signal communities around bold missions. At Product.ai, she leads the growth of the Alpha Team community and serves as the company’s external voice and ambassador: finding, connecting with, and recruiting exceptional people who align with its culture, vision, and pursuit of truth in commerce.
Her career spans community building, partnerships, storytelling, and social impact, from leadership roles at Beem.xyz and NCompass International to co-founding Global Gaming Initiative and Jukko. Across media, tech, and mission-driven ventures, her work has centered on using story, strategy, and human connection to bring meaningful ideas to life.
ABOUT Product.ai
Product.ai is building the truth engine for shopping. When every other AI tool summarizes and guesses, we verify. Not opinions. Not averages. Ground truth. Self-funded and profitable for over a decade, Product.ai is a team of e-commerce veterans who have been building commerce truth systems at scale. Over a billion dollars in annual transaction volume. Millions of customers served. Product.ai is also the flagship product - the new starting point for shopping in the AI era. The product is in early alpha, building alongside a community of domain experts.
ABOUT The KINN
The KINN is a membership network, accelerator, and collaborative workspace for conscious entrepreneurs, based in Venice, CA. Running tailored inner development and business accelerator programs for startups, providing executive coaching, accountability, and access to a top-tier LA-based community of entrepreneurs, creatives, intrapreneurs, and investors. If you're interested in learning more about KINN Membership, please visit http://thekinn.co/apply
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