The Blank Text Box Problem: Shipping V1 AI Without Perfect Data
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Product Strategy / AI Product Development
😊Practical, slightly contrarian, cutting through the "wait for perfect" paralysis with tactical scoping advice
AIProductLaunchDataReadinessMVPStrategyB2B ProductsProduct ScopingNarrow Intelligence
Explored the core tension in launching AI products: stakeholders want comprehensive AI that answers everything, but data reality means you can only answer one question well. The key insight is that narrow intelligence beats broad incompetence.
V1 AI success isn't about perfect data - it's about:
Picking ONE question users desperately need answered
Achieving 70-80% accuracy on that specific question
Being transparent about limitations
Smart UI design that guides users toward what works
The "blank text box" is a trap. It exposes every question your AI can't answer. Better to surface trending questions and example prompts that train users what's possible while keeping them in your AI's competency zone.
Main tension: Most companies wait for perfect data and never ship. Smart ones ship narrow AI, learn from usage, expand iteratively.