Is Your AI Product Built to Signal or Solve?

By
Phil Ahad
B2B
Tech
AI
Brand Strategy
Transformation
April 15, 2025

Is Your AI Product Built to Signal or Solve?

Over the last few years, product and strategy teams have sprinted to check the AI box. Build a product. Launch a feature. Add a model.

FOMO was real. Investors expected it. Customers demanded it. The pressure was on. So we moved fast.

But now?

We’re staring at a sea of half-built, BETA-forever solutions—some brilliant, many rushed. And behind the scenes, teams are quietly asking the same question:

“What are we actually doing with this?”

Most AI features technically work—but the challenge is enormous when trying to integrate them into traditional systems or core products.

Internal teams are confused. External messaging is scattered.
And instead of clarity, there’s chaos.

Leaders expect instant efficiency.
Teams expect automation to open up bandwidth.

And somewhere in that whirlwind, the core question got lost:

What problem is this solving—really?

The truth is, many AI solutions were built to signal innovation, not deliver it. They were launched to say, “We’re in the race.” Not to actually move the business forward.

And it shows.

Some tools don’t drive adoption.
Others generate leads—but not conversions. And that’s fine, if that was the goal.

But if you expected AI to be the growth engine, the cost-cutter, or the workforce multiplier… You’re probably feeling the hangover.

We Didn’t Start With Vision—We Started With Velocity

Grab an LLM. Spin up a chatbot. Add a copilot. Figure out the rest later.

That was the playbook.

But AI isn’t a plug-in—it’s a shift in how your business operates, communicates, and grows.
It touches your workflows, your story, your people, your product.

And when you launch something without that context?

You end up with a smart tool that solves the wrong problem—or no problem at all.

Now is the moment to reset.

Not by launching more AI features.
But by aligning what you’ve already built to real business outcomes:

  • Efficiency that actually scales profit
  • Automation that doesn’t create more confusion
  • Insights that drive confidence & decisive action

And yes—new revenue streams powered by smarter products

So… What’s Next?

The next phase isn’t about proving you have AI. It’s about proving it works—for your business.

That means building with purpose.
Communicating clearly—internally and externally. And treating AI as a growth lever, not just an attention-grabbing headline on LinkedIn.

Let’s Talk

If you’re navigating this shift—whether you’ve already launched or are still figuring out what to build—let’s talk.

We’re helping B2B & Product-led organizations move from signaling to solving. From velocity to vision. Let’s build something that actually moves the needle.

Profile

Phil is Executive Partner at MOST Wanted Co., where he helps B2B and product-led companies unlock competitive growth through tech, AI, and end-to-end transformation. Formerly Chief Innovation Officer at PureSpectrum and Chief Digital Officer at Toluna, Phil brings a C-suite lens to strategy—connecting product, operations, and brand to actually move the needle.

Is Your AI Product Built to Signal or Solve?

By
Phil Ahad
B2B
Tech
AI
Brand Strategy
Transformation
April 15, 2025

Signaling has its place. The problem is when teams confuse it with solving—believing a feature alone is the end solution, when in reality, it’s just the starting line.

Is Your AI Product Built to Signal or Solve?

Over the last few years, product and strategy teams have sprinted to check the AI box. Build a product. Launch a feature. Add a model.

FOMO was real. Investors expected it. Customers demanded it. The pressure was on. So we moved fast.

But now?

We’re staring at a sea of half-built, BETA-forever solutions—some brilliant, many rushed. And behind the scenes, teams are quietly asking the same question:

“What are we actually doing with this?”

Most AI features technically work—but the challenge is enormous when trying to integrate them into traditional systems or core products.

Internal teams are confused. External messaging is scattered.
And instead of clarity, there’s chaos.

Leaders expect instant efficiency.
Teams expect automation to open up bandwidth.

And somewhere in that whirlwind, the core question got lost:

What problem is this solving—really?

The truth is, many AI solutions were built to signal innovation, not deliver it. They were launched to say, “We’re in the race.” Not to actually move the business forward.

And it shows.

Some tools don’t drive adoption.
Others generate leads—but not conversions. And that’s fine, if that was the goal.

But if you expected AI to be the growth engine, the cost-cutter, or the workforce multiplier… You’re probably feeling the hangover.

We Didn’t Start With Vision—We Started With Velocity

Grab an LLM. Spin up a chatbot. Add a copilot. Figure out the rest later.

That was the playbook.

But AI isn’t a plug-in—it’s a shift in how your business operates, communicates, and grows.
It touches your workflows, your story, your people, your product.

And when you launch something without that context?

You end up with a smart tool that solves the wrong problem—or no problem at all.

Now is the moment to reset.

Not by launching more AI features.
But by aligning what you’ve already built to real business outcomes:

  • Efficiency that actually scales profit
  • Automation that doesn’t create more confusion
  • Insights that drive confidence & decisive action

And yes—new revenue streams powered by smarter products

So… What’s Next?

The next phase isn’t about proving you have AI. It’s about proving it works—for your business.

That means building with purpose.
Communicating clearly—internally and externally. And treating AI as a growth lever, not just an attention-grabbing headline on LinkedIn.

Let’s Talk

If you’re navigating this shift—whether you’ve already launched or are still figuring out what to build—let’s talk.

We’re helping B2B & Product-led organizations move from signaling to solving. From velocity to vision. Let’s build something that actually moves the needle.

Profile

Phil is Executive Partner at MOST Wanted Co., where he helps B2B and product-led companies unlock competitive growth through tech, AI, and end-to-end transformation. Formerly Chief Innovation Officer at PureSpectrum and Chief Digital Officer at Toluna, Phil brings a C-suite lens to strategy—connecting product, operations, and brand to actually move the needle.

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