The drumbeat to go "AI first" is deafening. Businesses everywhere are abuzz about AI, and the mandate from the boardroom is clear: adopt AI, and do it yesterday.

Industries are equally awash with AI evangelists, engineers, and consultants who weave tales of revolutionary ROI, unfair competitive advantage, and lean operations – awaiting those who would just reach out to grasp it. Like the dot com and mobile eras of the last three decades, the AI gold rush is now in full swing.

For decades, we’ve lived by the implicit assumption that computers are reliable because, frankly, computers are incapable of making mistakes. Maybe algorithms, or people who design and implement algorithms make mistakes. Or we may even accept that such algorithms have inherent limitations – but altogether, algorithms are deterministic: without exception, utterly predictable and reliable.

Product management today is a discipline under fire from many sides. Burnout from having to keep up with unceasing technology advancements in areas like AI. The pressure to monetize every feature or deliver every offering under a SaaS- or subscription-style business model. Not to mention the retreat of many companies who find it increasingly challenging to make strategic investments that advance product development.

If you listen to the hype that accompanies the introduction of digital transformation programs, the conversation often focuses on the technology. While it might be fun to geek out on all the cool new features and engineering of the technology implementation, all too often, there’s a disconnect between the promise and what the technology delivers on the plant floor.

At a recent fintech conference, an insurance company executive participated in a panel on innovation in the financial sector. The company’s representative took to the stage and regaled the crowd with stories of voice-activated applications for Alexa and Google Home. No more paper, and no more six-week waiting period to be reimbursed for your trip to the dentist. “The digital age of insurance is upon us!” he proclaimed.

Ray Kurzweil coined the “technological singularity” — the emergence of a “super” AI that will lead to irreversible changes to human civilization as we know it. Mark the year 2045 in our calendars — Kurzweil predicts we're only a few decades away.