Where to Draw the Line in Product Management: Preventing AI Innovation from Becoming Misleading

In product management, especially for platforms like Boots & Ladders, innovation is essential. It enhances user experience, making service hiring smoother and more intuitive. However, there’s a delicate balance between driving innovation and misleading users—a line that, if crossed, can erode trust. This is something we frequently encounter as we work to create a seamless, user-friendly platform.

One of the key challenges our users face is crafting compelling service offers. Our team has made significant strides in helping service pros by refining their listings and suggesting prices programmatically. But here's the critical question: How much automation is too much? Today’s technology allows us to scrape data from the web and automatically generate service offers and listings. While this could fill our platform with ready-made, "productized" service offers, these pre-made listings often lack authenticity, leaving professionals disconnected from what they’re actually offering.

Innovation is invaluable, but it has to be grounded in responsibility. The goal of our platform is to make hiring easier, but not at the expense of having pros offer services they can’t genuinely deliver. Pre-generated service offers can serve as a useful guide, but they should remain just that—guidelines, not ready-to-go offers for pros to select without thought. If we allow that, we risk misrepresenting not only the professional but the platform as a whole.

It’s vital that service pros take ownership of their offers. While templates and suggestions can aid in structuring services and pricing, the final offer should always reflect the pro’s true capabilities and dedication. In short, pros must stand behind what they promise, ensuring that when a customer hires them, they receive the service they expect. This approach preserves the platform’s integrity and ensures that innovation remains transparent, supporting trust rather than undermining it.

The key is in making it as easy as possible for pros to create clear, authentic service listings without doing the job entirely for them. While technology can streamline the process, pros must remain in control, shaping their offers around what they can genuinely deliver.

About the Writer:

Omar Kharbat is the Founder of Boots & Ladders, a direct service marketplace focused on empowering independent service professionals. With over 35 years of experience running a service business, Omar built Boots & Ladders to simplify service hiring, offering an effortless experience for both pros and customers. He is passionate about using technology to innovate without compromising authenticity, ensuring that every professional on the platform delivers what they promise. Omar believes in balancing automation with human expertise to create transparent, trustworthy service exchanges.