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| Meta Title | Confusion at Meta, engineers being Pikachus, 3 weeks for a 2-day takehome |
| Meta Description | What's on my mind, what I've shipped since last time, market insights, inspiration, and what's coming up |
| Meta Canonical | null |
| Boilerpipe Text | Iâm writing this on the third day of the most recent escalation in the middle east, as my family and friends in Israel are scrambling multiple times per day to reach safe spaces each time thereâs a new rocket launch heading in the countryâs direction from Iran. I recognize how trivial the content of my newsletter is in light of serious stuff. But the show must go on.
I was recently talking to some product leaders I trust about a trend where tenured engineers at established tech companies seem to be dragging their feet when it comes to AI adoption.
There's a heavy skepticism about the impact of AI, potentially fueled by fear. You can probably map every engineer to some point on the spectrum between these two extremes:
Engineers eagerly excited to evolve their job using AI
AI skeptics/laggards who refuse to embrace AI to evolve
The latter group is losing relevance in the workplace and this is happening at an accelerating rate. It made me think of one of my favorite Pokémon, Pikachu.
Pikachu refuses to evolve into his new form, Raichu, because he's stubbornly determined to compete with the best Pokémon at the highest levels of evolution without, himself, needing to evolve.
Ashâs Pikachu famously refuses to evolve into Raichu in the PokĂ©mon anime. Pikachu rejects using the Thunder Stone multiple times, starting with the episode âElectric Shock Showdownâ. He wants to prove his strength as a Pikachu rather than relying on evolution, aiming to defeat stronger opponents, like Lt. Surgeâs Raichu, in his base form.
I think people dragging their feet with AI adoption are being Pikachus.
While that's admirable in a fictional cute and cuddly cartoon character, I don't think that there is going to be a large demand for very cute and cuddly engineers who refuse to adopt AI because they think they don't need it.
To future-proof your career, embrace AI. Donât reject the opportunity to evolve.
Don't be a Pikachu.
We just shipped
episode 99
with my friend
Yaniv Fatal
.
Yaniv spent 13 years in the Israeli military, including many years as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force. In that time, he completed five Ironmans and ~25 marathons (but who's counting). He also build a beautiful family with two kiddos and a dog.
And on a more personal note, Yaniv is one of my oldest friends. We celebrated our 7th birthday together at the zoo in Jerusalem. This one felt special.
When Yaniv decided to leave the IDF and break into tech, he didn't know what an API was. He failed ~20 interviews and after each one, he debriefed himself the way pilots debrief after missions:
what went well
what went wrong
what didn't he know
what should he say/do differently next time
Then Wiz came along. Someone posted in a pilots' WhatsApp group: "
We're looking for a pilot who can manage technical things.
" Yaniv raised his hand.
They sent him a take-home: "
Build a Python script that identifies vulnerabilities in EC2 instances.
"
He didn't understand a single sentence of the assignment prompt. Most people would've looked at that take-home and said "
I'm not qualified
."
Yaniv looked at it and said "
I'm not qualified... yet. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
â
"
He taught himself about cloud infra and security from scratch. Two weeks just to understand what they were asking, one week to take a stab at solving it.
The instructions said it should take a couple of days. He sent it back three weeks later, assuming they'd already hired someone else.
Then his phone buzzed. "
Can you come in tomorrow to present?"
He told them he was busy that week. He wasn't. He used the extra time to prepare.
When he finally presented, he told them straight up: "
Before I got this assignment, I didn't know anything about cloud. This took me three weeks but imagine what I can do in three months.
"
They hired him. This was before Wiz became a $32B company.
A couple years later, Yaniv joined
Blast Security
as their founding PM.
What I love most about this story is that somewhere around day three, the take-home assignment stopped being about getting the job. It became about proving to himself that he could figure it out.
Whether you're prepping for PM interviews, switching careers, or learning something brand new, the willingness to sit with confusion and keep going anyway is the unlock.
If you're someone who want to push yourself to do hard things, you'll love it.
Check out the full episode:
Spotify
,
Apple
,
YouTube
Meta just walked back its plan to re-interview hundreds of their current PMs in March because of misaligned leadership.
A few days ago,
I reported
that Meta was overhauling its PM interview process for the Central Products org, and that current CP PMs would need to re-interview internally in March.
Almost overnight, this plan hit resistance at the top ranks. Multiple senior executives pushed back hard, and the internal program was significantly reframed:
Itâs no longer described as an interview
Participation is now opt-in
No stated consequences for not participating
Timeline extended from March to across the entire year
Thatâs a dramatic reversal from what was being communicated internally just days earlier.
Which raises an obvious question: if itâs voluntary with no consequences, why would anyone opt in?
My hypothesis is that the incentive is in the signaling.
In a company actively recalibrating what it means to be a great PM, opting in and performing well is likely to be visible in ways that matter. Itâs an opportunity to get on record as an âAI PMâ rather than quietly sitting it out.
The PMs who participate early may find themselves with an advantage when it comes to promotions, high-visibility projects, or internal transfers. Opting out is probably going to signal playing it safe.
Meta has removed the stick, for now. But that doesnât mean thereâs no carrot. It just means the carrot might not be explicit⊠yet.
And the underlying takeaway hasnât changed.
Meta tried to mandate an AI fluency re-baselining for its CP PM org. It got softened. But the belief that the PM bar needs to be redefined around AI product thinking didnât go away. It just got repackaged.
AI fluency is becoming table stakes and the shift from PM to âfull stack builderâ feels inevitable.
If Meta is a leading indicator for the rest of big tech, it feels like weâre getting a real-time look at the future of the PM role and I canât look away đż
As someone who runs a podcast, I found
this conversation
on the Dialectic podcast hosted by Jackson Dahl with the co-founders of
TBPN
fascinating. If you donât know TBPN, itâs basically a daily show like CNN/Sports Center for tech news featuring big name guests for 15 min segments. Jackson asked great questions and I found every minute interesting. Thanks
Hilary Gridley
for the rec!
On a completely different note, Carole and I watched
The Handmaiden
over the weekend and it was weird and amazing. Highly recommend especially if you like Korean films. Next on our list is
Oldboy
.
This weekend, Carole, Gaia and I are heading down to Charleston, SC (first time there) to enjoy some southern food and warm weather.
In a couple weeks Iâm heading to a wedding in Florida (solo for that one).
On Wednesday 3/18 Iâm hosting a fireside chat with
Tomer Cohen
, who recently left his role as LinkedInâs Chief Product Officer after 14 years with the company. Weâll discuss
the rise of the full-stack builder
. You can
sign up here
to join the live event (youâll get the recording emailed to you after if you canât make it).
At the end of May, Marc and I are going to Toronto for a live recording of the
Supra Insider
podcast in front of an audience of a couple hundred people (part of the
Toronto Product Conference
, which is generously hosting us). Itâll be my first time in Toronto and our first time doing a live podcast recording. Canât wait.
đ”ïžââïž
Insider Loops
. Company-specific PM interview guides for OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, and Figma (more coming soon). Rigorously researched and continuously updated by
Marc Baselga
and I.
đ My
self-paced PM Interview Bootcamp: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking
. Selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a top product course on Maven.
đ€ My
AI Practice Copilot for PM Interviews
. Unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. Itâs like having a calibrated interview coach available 24/7. Over the past year, my Copilot has helped dozens of PMs land roles at Meta, Google, OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, Datadog, Monday.com, and more. Testimonials on the site.
đ§ My
Product Sense Interview Template
. Free Google sheet template for practicing product sense questions. Make a copy and get as many reps as youâd like with my frameworks. Updated regularly and fully compatible with my AI Copilot. My guest post on Lennyâs Newsletter:
The definitive guide to mastering product sense interviews
.
đ My
Analytical Thinking Interview Template
. Free Google sheet template for practicing analytical thinking questions. Make a copy and get as many reps as youâd like with my frameworks. Updated regularly and fully compatible with my AI Copilot. My guest post on Lennyâs Newsletter:
The definitive guide to mastering analytical thinking interviews
.
đ€
Benâs premium coach-matching service
. White glove service in which I match PM candidates with calibrated interviewers from their target companies. Fully confidential and quick to start.
No posts |
| Markdown | [](https://benerez.substack.com/)
# [Benâs Newsletter](https://benerez.substack.com/)
Subscribe
Sign in
# Confusion at Meta, engineers being Pikachus, 3 weeks for a 2-day takehome
### What's on my mind, what I've shipped since last time, market insights, inspiration, and what's coming up
[](https://substack.com/@benerez)
[Ben Erez](https://substack.com/@benerez)
Mar 02, 2026
2
Share
*Iâm writing this on the third day of the most recent escalation in the middle east, as my family and friends in Israel are scrambling multiple times per day to reach safe spaces each time thereâs a new rocket launch heading in the countryâs direction from Iran. I recognize how trivial the content of my newsletter is in light of serious stuff. But the show must go on.*
***
## âïž On my mind
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vBQI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc14cc8b0-3d7d-4955-bb3e-8d96dabf4b94_2816x1536.png)
I was recently talking to some product leaders I trust about a trend where tenured engineers at established tech companies seem to be dragging their feet when it comes to AI adoption.
There's a heavy skepticism about the impact of AI, potentially fueled by fear. You can probably map every engineer to some point on the spectrum between these two extremes:
1. Engineers eagerly excited to evolve their job using AI
2. AI skeptics/laggards who refuse to embrace AI to evolve
The latter group is losing relevance in the workplace and this is happening at an accelerating rate. It made me think of one of my favorite Pokémon, Pikachu.
Pikachu refuses to evolve into his new form, Raichu, because he's stubbornly determined to compete with the best Pokémon at the highest levels of evolution without, himself, needing to evolve.
> *Ashâs Pikachu famously refuses to evolve into Raichu in the PokĂ©mon anime. Pikachu rejects using the Thunder Stone multiple times, starting with the episode âElectric Shock Showdownâ. He wants to prove his strength as a Pikachu rather than relying on evolution, aiming to defeat stronger opponents, like Lt. Surgeâs Raichu, in his base form.*
I think people dragging their feet with AI adoption are being Pikachus.
While that's admirable in a fictional cute and cuddly cartoon character, I don't think that there is going to be a large demand for very cute and cuddly engineers who refuse to adopt AI because they think they don't need it.
To future-proof your career, embrace AI. Donât reject the opportunity to evolve.
Don't be a Pikachu.
***
## đ Recently shipped
### đïž Supra Insider
We just shipped [episode 99](https://suprainsider.substack.com/p/99-how-the-air-force-prepared-me) with my friend [Yaniv Fatal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaniv-fatal-08a9b2ba/).
Yaniv spent 13 years in the Israeli military, including many years as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force. In that time, he completed five Ironmans and ~25 marathons (but who's counting). He also build a beautiful family with two kiddos and a dog.
And on a more personal note, Yaniv is one of my oldest friends. We celebrated our 7th birthday together at the zoo in Jerusalem. This one felt special.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QSmg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9f80b3e8-95ef-45dc-ba1d-2c047ec607be_800x602.jpeg)
> When Yaniv decided to leave the IDF and break into tech, he didn't know what an API was. He failed ~20 interviews and after each one, he debriefed himself the way pilots debrief after missions:
>
> - what went well
> - what went wrong
> - what didn't he know
> - what should he say/do differently next time
>
> Then Wiz came along. Someone posted in a pilots' WhatsApp group: "*We're looking for a pilot who can manage technical things.*" Yaniv raised his hand.
>
> They sent him a take-home: "*Build a Python script that identifies vulnerabilities in EC2 instances.*"
>
> He didn't understand a single sentence of the assignment prompt. Most people would've looked at that take-home and said "*I'm not qualified*."
>
> Yaniv looked at it and said "*I'm not qualified... yet. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED* â
"
>
> He taught himself about cloud infra and security from scratch. Two weeks just to understand what they were asking, one week to take a stab at solving it.
>
> The instructions said it should take a couple of days. He sent it back three weeks later, assuming they'd already hired someone else.
>
> Then his phone buzzed. "*Can you come in tomorrow to present?"*
>
> He told them he was busy that week. He wasn't. He used the extra time to prepare.
>
> When he finally presented, he told them straight up: "*Before I got this assignment, I didn't know anything about cloud. This took me three weeks but imagine what I can do in three months.*"
>
> They hired him. This was before Wiz became a \$32B company.
>
> A couple years later, Yaniv joined **[Blast Security](https://blast.security/)** as their founding PM.
>
> What I love most about this story is that somewhere around day three, the take-home assignment stopped being about getting the job. It became about proving to himself that he could figure it out.
>
> Whether you're prepping for PM interviews, switching careers, or learning something brand new, the willingness to sit with confusion and keep going anyway is the unlock.
>
> If you're someone who want to push yourself to do hard things, you'll love it.
>
> Check out the full episode: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1E8eLj5DAaunbHxsDBi56D?si=PTGyy4ZyQV6U8IWjyXZXpw), [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/99-how-the-air-force-prepared-me-for-product/id1737704130?i=1000752597036), [YouTube](https://youtu.be/YDl_7vgOjvY)
***
## đ”ïžââïž PM market insights
### Meta PM re-interview mandate that isnât a mandate
Meta just walked back its plan to re-interview hundreds of their current PMs in March because of misaligned leadership.
A few days ago, [I reported](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benerez_this-week-meta-overhauled-its-pm-interview-activity-7432849988075859968-qqVD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAR5jPIBYOXXI_E_Xb27sXvoR3tbrpQqUyc) that Meta was overhauling its PM interview process for the Central Products org, and that current CP PMs would need to re-interview internally in March.
Almost overnight, this plan hit resistance at the top ranks. Multiple senior executives pushed back hard, and the internal program was significantly reframed:
- Itâs no longer described as an interview
- Participation is now opt-in
- No stated consequences for not participating
- Timeline extended from March to across the entire year
Thatâs a dramatic reversal from what was being communicated internally just days earlier.
Which raises an obvious question: if itâs voluntary with no consequences, why would anyone opt in?
My hypothesis is that the incentive is in the signaling.
In a company actively recalibrating what it means to be a great PM, opting in and performing well is likely to be visible in ways that matter. Itâs an opportunity to get on record as an âAI PMâ rather than quietly sitting it out.
The PMs who participate early may find themselves with an advantage when it comes to promotions, high-visibility projects, or internal transfers. Opting out is probably going to signal playing it safe.
Meta has removed the stick, for now. But that doesnât mean thereâs no carrot. It just means the carrot might not be explicit⊠yet.
And the underlying takeaway hasnât changed.
Meta tried to mandate an AI fluency re-baselining for its CP PM org. It got softened. But the belief that the PM bar needs to be redefined around AI product thinking didnât go away. It just got repackaged.
AI fluency is becoming table stakes and the shift from PM to âfull stack builderâ feels inevitable.
If Meta is a leading indicator for the rest of big tech, it feels like weâre getting a real-time look at the future of the PM role and I canât look away đż
***
## đĄ Content Iâve enjoyed / been inspired by
- As someone who runs a podcast, I found [this conversation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIaXSQOHrmU) on the Dialectic podcast hosted by Jackson Dahl with the co-founders of [TBPN](https://www.tbpn.com/) fascinating. If you donât know TBPN, itâs basically a daily show like CNN/Sports Center for tech news featuring big name guests for 15 min segments. Jackson asked great questions and I found every minute interesting. Thanks [Hilary Gridley](https://open.substack.com/users/2738338-hilary-gridley?utm_source=mentions) for the rec\!
- On a completely different note, Carole and I watched *[The Handmaiden](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016934/)* over the weekend and it was weird and amazing. Highly recommend especially if you like Korean films. Next on our list is *[Oldboy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/)*.
***
## đŁïž On the horizon
- This weekend, Carole, Gaia and I are heading down to Charleston, SC (first time there) to enjoy some southern food and warm weather.
- In a couple weeks Iâm heading to a wedding in Florida (solo for that one).
- On Wednesday 3/18 Iâm hosting a fireside chat with [Tomer Cohen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomercohen/), who recently left his role as LinkedInâs Chief Product Officer after 14 years with the company. Weâll discuss **the rise of the full-stack builder**. You can [sign up here](https://maven.com/p/385695/the-rise-of-the-full-stack-builder-fireside-chat?utm_medium=ll_share_link&utm_source=instructor) to join the live event (youâll get the recording emailed to you after if you canât make it).
- At the end of May, Marc and I are going to Toronto for a live recording of the *Supra Insider* podcast in front of an audience of a couple hundred people (part of the [Toronto Product Conference](https://www.tpma.ca/event/toronto-product-conference), which is generously hosting us). Itâll be my first time in Toronto and our first time doing a live podcast recording. Canât wait.
***
## 𫶠Go deeper with my work
- đ”ïžââïž [Insider Loops](http://www.insiderloops.com/). Company-specific PM interview guides for OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, and Figma (more coming soon). Rigorously researched and continuously updated by [Marc Baselga](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/) and I.
- đ My [self-paced PM Interview Bootcamp: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking](https://maven.com/ben-erez/pm-interview). Selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a top product course on Maven.
- đ€ My [AI Practice Copilot for PM Interviews](https://www.benerez.com/copilot). Unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. Itâs like having a calibrated interview coach available 24/7. Over the past year, my Copilot has helped dozens of PMs land roles at Meta, Google, OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, Datadog, Monday.com, and more. Testimonials on the site.
- đ§ My [Product Sense Interview Template](https://maven.com/p/88b132/product-sense-interview-template?utm_medium=lead_magnet_share_link&utm_source=instructor). Free Google sheet template for practicing product sense questions. Make a copy and get as many reps as youâd like with my frameworks. Updated regularly and fully compatible with my AI Copilot. My guest post on Lennyâs Newsletter: [The definitive guide to mastering product sense interviews](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-definitive-guide-to-mastering).
- đ My [Analytical Thinking Interview Template](https://maven.com/p/db5fe8/analytical-thinking-interview-template?utm_medium=lead_magnet_share_link&utm_source=instructor). Free Google sheet template for practicing analytical thinking questions. Make a copy and get as many reps as youâd like with my frameworks. Updated regularly and fully compatible with my AI Copilot. My guest post on Lennyâs Newsletter: [The definitive guide to mastering analytical thinking interviews](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-definitive-guide-to-mastering-f81).
- đ€ [Benâs premium coach-matching service](https://forms.gle/XE8ym1CZfzFFsF3AA). White glove service in which I match PM candidates with calibrated interviewers from their target companies. Fully confidential and quick to start.
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| Readable Markdown | *Iâm writing this on the third day of the most recent escalation in the middle east, as my family and friends in Israel are scrambling multiple times per day to reach safe spaces each time thereâs a new rocket launch heading in the countryâs direction from Iran. I recognize how trivial the content of my newsletter is in light of serious stuff. But the show must go on.*
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!vBQI!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc14cc8b0-3d7d-4955-bb3e-8d96dabf4b94_2816x1536.png)
I was recently talking to some product leaders I trust about a trend where tenured engineers at established tech companies seem to be dragging their feet when it comes to AI adoption.
There's a heavy skepticism about the impact of AI, potentially fueled by fear. You can probably map every engineer to some point on the spectrum between these two extremes:
1. Engineers eagerly excited to evolve their job using AI
2. AI skeptics/laggards who refuse to embrace AI to evolve
The latter group is losing relevance in the workplace and this is happening at an accelerating rate. It made me think of one of my favorite Pokémon, Pikachu.
Pikachu refuses to evolve into his new form, Raichu, because he's stubbornly determined to compete with the best Pokémon at the highest levels of evolution without, himself, needing to evolve.
> *Ashâs Pikachu famously refuses to evolve into Raichu in the PokĂ©mon anime. Pikachu rejects using the Thunder Stone multiple times, starting with the episode âElectric Shock Showdownâ. He wants to prove his strength as a Pikachu rather than relying on evolution, aiming to defeat stronger opponents, like Lt. Surgeâs Raichu, in his base form.*
I think people dragging their feet with AI adoption are being Pikachus.
While that's admirable in a fictional cute and cuddly cartoon character, I don't think that there is going to be a large demand for very cute and cuddly engineers who refuse to adopt AI because they think they don't need it.
To future-proof your career, embrace AI. Donât reject the opportunity to evolve.
Don't be a Pikachu.
We just shipped [episode 99](https://suprainsider.substack.com/p/99-how-the-air-force-prepared-me) with my friend [Yaniv Fatal](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaniv-fatal-08a9b2ba/).
Yaniv spent 13 years in the Israeli military, including many years as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force. In that time, he completed five Ironmans and ~25 marathons (but who's counting). He also build a beautiful family with two kiddos and a dog.
And on a more personal note, Yaniv is one of my oldest friends. We celebrated our 7th birthday together at the zoo in Jerusalem. This one felt special.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!QSmg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9f80b3e8-95ef-45dc-ba1d-2c047ec607be_800x602.jpeg)
> When Yaniv decided to leave the IDF and break into tech, he didn't know what an API was. He failed ~20 interviews and after each one, he debriefed himself the way pilots debrief after missions:
>
> - what went well
> - what went wrong
> - what didn't he know
> - what should he say/do differently next time
>
> Then Wiz came along. Someone posted in a pilots' WhatsApp group: "*We're looking for a pilot who can manage technical things.*" Yaniv raised his hand.
>
> They sent him a take-home: "*Build a Python script that identifies vulnerabilities in EC2 instances.*"
>
> He didn't understand a single sentence of the assignment prompt. Most people would've looked at that take-home and said "*I'm not qualified*."
>
> Yaniv looked at it and said "*I'm not qualified... yet. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED* â
"
>
> He taught himself about cloud infra and security from scratch. Two weeks just to understand what they were asking, one week to take a stab at solving it.
>
> The instructions said it should take a couple of days. He sent it back three weeks later, assuming they'd already hired someone else.
>
> Then his phone buzzed. "*Can you come in tomorrow to present?"*
>
> He told them he was busy that week. He wasn't. He used the extra time to prepare.
>
> When he finally presented, he told them straight up: "*Before I got this assignment, I didn't know anything about cloud. This took me three weeks but imagine what I can do in three months.*"
>
> They hired him. This was before Wiz became a \$32B company.
>
> A couple years later, Yaniv joined **[Blast Security](https://blast.security/)** as their founding PM.
>
> What I love most about this story is that somewhere around day three, the take-home assignment stopped being about getting the job. It became about proving to himself that he could figure it out.
>
> Whether you're prepping for PM interviews, switching careers, or learning something brand new, the willingness to sit with confusion and keep going anyway is the unlock.
>
> If you're someone who want to push yourself to do hard things, you'll love it.
>
> Check out the full episode: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1E8eLj5DAaunbHxsDBi56D?si=PTGyy4ZyQV6U8IWjyXZXpw), [Apple](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/99-how-the-air-force-prepared-me-for-product/id1737704130?i=1000752597036), [YouTube](https://youtu.be/YDl_7vgOjvY)
Meta just walked back its plan to re-interview hundreds of their current PMs in March because of misaligned leadership.
A few days ago, [I reported](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/benerez_this-week-meta-overhauled-its-pm-interview-activity-7432849988075859968-qqVD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAR5jPIBYOXXI_E_Xb27sXvoR3tbrpQqUyc) that Meta was overhauling its PM interview process for the Central Products org, and that current CP PMs would need to re-interview internally in March.
Almost overnight, this plan hit resistance at the top ranks. Multiple senior executives pushed back hard, and the internal program was significantly reframed:
- Itâs no longer described as an interview
- Participation is now opt-in
- No stated consequences for not participating
- Timeline extended from March to across the entire year
Thatâs a dramatic reversal from what was being communicated internally just days earlier.
Which raises an obvious question: if itâs voluntary with no consequences, why would anyone opt in?
My hypothesis is that the incentive is in the signaling.
In a company actively recalibrating what it means to be a great PM, opting in and performing well is likely to be visible in ways that matter. Itâs an opportunity to get on record as an âAI PMâ rather than quietly sitting it out.
The PMs who participate early may find themselves with an advantage when it comes to promotions, high-visibility projects, or internal transfers. Opting out is probably going to signal playing it safe.
Meta has removed the stick, for now. But that doesnât mean thereâs no carrot. It just means the carrot might not be explicit⊠yet.
And the underlying takeaway hasnât changed.
Meta tried to mandate an AI fluency re-baselining for its CP PM org. It got softened. But the belief that the PM bar needs to be redefined around AI product thinking didnât go away. It just got repackaged.
AI fluency is becoming table stakes and the shift from PM to âfull stack builderâ feels inevitable.
If Meta is a leading indicator for the rest of big tech, it feels like weâre getting a real-time look at the future of the PM role and I canât look away đż
- As someone who runs a podcast, I found [this conversation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIaXSQOHrmU) on the Dialectic podcast hosted by Jackson Dahl with the co-founders of [TBPN](https://www.tbpn.com/) fascinating. If you donât know TBPN, itâs basically a daily show like CNN/Sports Center for tech news featuring big name guests for 15 min segments. Jackson asked great questions and I found every minute interesting. Thanks [Hilary Gridley](https://open.substack.com/users/2738338-hilary-gridley?utm_source=mentions) for the rec\!
- On a completely different note, Carole and I watched *[The Handmaiden](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4016934/)* over the weekend and it was weird and amazing. Highly recommend especially if you like Korean films. Next on our list is *[Oldboy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/)*.
- This weekend, Carole, Gaia and I are heading down to Charleston, SC (first time there) to enjoy some southern food and warm weather.
- In a couple weeks Iâm heading to a wedding in Florida (solo for that one).
- On Wednesday 3/18 Iâm hosting a fireside chat with [Tomer Cohen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomercohen/), who recently left his role as LinkedInâs Chief Product Officer after 14 years with the company. Weâll discuss **the rise of the full-stack builder**. You can [sign up here](https://maven.com/p/385695/the-rise-of-the-full-stack-builder-fireside-chat?utm_medium=ll_share_link&utm_source=instructor) to join the live event (youâll get the recording emailed to you after if you canât make it).
- At the end of May, Marc and I are going to Toronto for a live recording of the *Supra Insider* podcast in front of an audience of a couple hundred people (part of the [Toronto Product Conference](https://www.tpma.ca/event/toronto-product-conference), which is generously hosting us). Itâll be my first time in Toronto and our first time doing a live podcast recording. Canât wait.
- đ”ïžââïž [Insider Loops](http://www.insiderloops.com/). Company-specific PM interview guides for OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, and Figma (more coming soon). Rigorously researched and continuously updated by [Marc Baselga](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/) and I.
- đ My [self-paced PM Interview Bootcamp: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking](https://maven.com/ben-erez/pm-interview). Selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a top product course on Maven.
- đ€ My [AI Practice Copilot for PM Interviews](https://www.benerez.com/copilot). Unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. Itâs like having a calibrated interview coach available 24/7. Over the past year, my Copilot has helped dozens of PMs land roles at Meta, Google, OpenAI, Stripe, DoorDash, Uber, Datadog, Monday.com, and more. Testimonials on the site.
- đ§ My [Product Sense Interview Template](https://maven.com/p/88b132/product-sense-interview-template?utm_medium=lead_magnet_share_link&utm_source=instructor). Free Google sheet template for practicing product sense questions. Make a copy and get as many reps as youâd like with my frameworks. Updated regularly and fully compatible with my AI Copilot. My guest post on Lennyâs Newsletter: [The definitive guide to mastering product sense interviews](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-definitive-guide-to-mastering).
- đ My [Analytical Thinking Interview Template](https://maven.com/p/db5fe8/analytical-thinking-interview-template?utm_medium=lead_magnet_share_link&utm_source=instructor). Free Google sheet template for practicing analytical thinking questions. Make a copy and get as many reps as youâd like with my frameworks. Updated regularly and fully compatible with my AI Copilot. My guest post on Lennyâs Newsletter: [The definitive guide to mastering analytical thinking interviews](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-definitive-guide-to-mastering-f81).
- đ€ [Benâs premium coach-matching service](https://forms.gle/XE8ym1CZfzFFsF3AA). White glove service in which I match PM candidates with calibrated interviewers from their target companies. Fully confidential and quick to start.
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