LinkedIn is eliminating its traditional associate product manager (APM) program, one of Silicon Valley’s most established early-career pathways, replacing it with a new “associate product builder” program that trains employees to code, design, and build products end-to-end. LinkedIn’s Chief Product Officer Tomer Cohen announced on “Lenny’s Podcast” that the long-running APM program will end this year, with the new program launching in January.
The transformation reflects LinkedIn’s adoption of the “full-stack builder model,” which consolidates responsibilities traditionally split among product managers, designers, and engineers into single roles capable of taking products from concept to launch independently. Cohen emphasized that the company will “teach them how to code, design, and PM at LinkedIn,” creating versatile employees who can flex across multiple disciplines.
Cohen explicitly stated his intention to automate traditional product management functions, saying he wants builders to develop vision, empathy, communication, creativity, and judgment for making “high-quality decisions in complex, ambiguous situations,” while “everything else, I’m working really hard to automate.” This automation-first approach is reshaping team structures, with LinkedIn moving from large functional groups to small cross-trained “pods” that can “match the pace of change to the pace of response.”
The shift comes as product management roles face increasing scrutiny across the tech industry. Microsoft reportedly wants to increase its engineer-to-product manager ratio to run leaner operations, while companies like Airbnb and Snap have reevaluated their need for traditional PMs. Surge AI CEO Edwin Chen argued that early-stage teams don’t need product managers at all, suggesting engineering leaders should drive product direction.
However, Google Brain founder Andrew Ng offered a contrasting perspective, arguing that product management has become the bottleneck in AI startups specifically. He noted that when AI tools enable teams to build prototypes in a day instead of three weeks, waiting a week for user feedback becomes “really painful,” requiring faster product decisions that PMs are trained to make. This tension highlights how AI’s acceleration of development cycles is fundamentally reshaping product development workflows and the roles needed to support them.
Key Quotes
Everything else, I’m working really hard to automate
LinkedIn CPO Tomer Cohen explained his vision for the full-stack builder role, emphasizing that while human judgment and creativity remain essential, he’s actively working to automate traditional product management tasks—a clear signal of AI’s impact on the profession.
They can actually match the pace of change to the pace of response
Cohen described how small pods of cross-trained builders enable LinkedIn to be more nimble and adaptive, highlighting how AI-driven acceleration requires organizational structures that can respond at unprecedented speeds.
Your engineer should be hands-on. They should be having great ideas as well
Surge AI CEO Edwin Chen argued that early-stage teams don’t need product managers, suggesting that engineering leaders should drive product direction—a perspective that challenges traditional role divisions in tech companies.
When AI tools let teams build a prototype in a day, having to wait a week for user feedback is really painful
Google Brain founder Andrew Ng explained how AI’s acceleration of development cycles has made product management the bottleneck at AI startups, creating pressure for faster decision-making that actually increases the need for skilled PMs.
Our Take
LinkedIn’s move represents more than organizational restructuring—it’s a direct response to AI’s automation capabilities. Cohen’s candid admission that he’s “working really hard to automate” traditional PM functions reveals what many in tech have suspected: AI tools are making specialized roles obsolete. The full-stack builder model isn’t just about efficiency; it’s about survival in an era where AI handles routine tasks and humans must provide judgment in ambiguous situations. The contrasting views from Chen and Ng highlight a paradox: AI simultaneously eliminates the need for certain roles while creating bottlenecks that demand human expertise. This suggests the future isn’t about whether AI replaces jobs, but about which human skills remain irreplaceable. LinkedIn’s experiment may define the next decade of tech employment, where adaptability and technical versatility trump specialized expertise.
Why This Matters
This story signals a fundamental shift in how AI is transforming tech industry roles and workflows. LinkedIn’s explicit focus on automation—with Cohen stating he’s “working really hard to automate” traditional PM functions—demonstrates how AI tools are eliminating specialized roles in favor of versatile “full-stack” positions. This trend has profound implications for tech careers, as the skills that once guaranteed employment are being automated away.
The debate between Chen and Andrew Ng reveals a critical tension: while AI accelerates development speed, it may simultaneously increase the need for rapid product decision-making. This suggests AI isn’t simply replacing jobs but fundamentally restructuring how product teams operate. For businesses, this means rethinking organizational structures and training programs. For workers, especially those in product management, it signals the urgent need to develop technical skills and adaptability. The shift from specialized roles to generalist “builders” may become the new standard across Silicon Valley, making this a bellwether moment for the future of tech employment in the AI era.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/linkedin-product-manager-apm-full-stack-builder-2025-12