Isn't it just a ChatGPT wrapper?

The core lesson is about conceptual integrity and user empathy. AI tools are powerful, but great products are still built on the fundamentals: shaping workflows that make complex systems accessible and intuitive.

Last week, I introduced my latest solo project, Career Nexus. The response has been great. Thank you to everyone who signed up and is providing feedback - keep it coming -it’s been invaluable as I refine the experience (and squash a few bugs). I’ve also got some exciting new features in the works, stay tuned!

One question I kept coming back to while building this was: “Can’t people just use Copilot or ChatGPT for this? What’s the value I’m really adding?”

As the project grew from an evening coding exercise into a more complete thought, the answer became clear: the real opportunity isn’t just in leveraging AI, but in how we design purpose-built solutions around it.

Here are a few reflections that, I think, apply broadly to product development in this era of increasingly powerful, general-purpose AI:

1?? All software is a wrapper: Fundamentally, most products wrap around databases, APIs, or, in this case, AI models. What separates great products is how they abstract complexity and deliver utility. The magic is in making something complex feel effortless.

2?? AI is the foundation, not the product: Career Nexus isn’t about bolting AI onto existing workflows—it’s about building with AI at the center. Starting with AI as the foundation allows the product to support a complete thought: the entire career lifecycle, from job applications to professional development, including strategic onboarding plans, one-on-one meeting prep, and the scaffolding that ties it all together.

This isn’t about sprinkling AI into workflows; it’s about architecting workflows around AI. Features like resume customization, job fit analysis, and interview prep feed into a unified, persistent context that evolves with the user. The AI capabilities are integrated into the whole seamlessly such that the user doesn't even need to know they are using AI.

3?? General AI isn’t always enough: Tools like ChatGPT are powerful but broad. Using them effectively often requires users to pattern match their needs to the AI’s capabilities—a skill that’s not always intuitive or easy. For example, turning a vague thought like, “What should I do for this interview?” into actionable, tailored advice can feel out of reach for the average user. That’s where fit-for-purpose apps shine—they reduce cognitive load, provide structure, and help users unlock the full potential of the underlying AI without needing to become experts in prompt engineering or expository thinking.

?Big Picture for Product Management:

The core lesson is about conceptual integrity and user empathy. AI tools are powerful, but great products are still built on the fundamentals: shaping workflows that make complex systems accessible and intuitive.

?With Career Nexus, I aimed to connect every interaction—resume customization, job fit analysis, interview prep—to a single foundation: the job and the user’s profile. This design reduces friction, eliminates context-switching, and ensures users can focus on their goals—not on wrangling AI to align with them.

?For PMs, it’s a reminder that technology isn’t the product. The real value lies in crafting experiences that minimize effort, amplify results, and make advanced capabilities feel seamless.

?Check it out, and let me know what you think: Career Nexus