How I 10x’d My Product Docs with AI

Everyone’s asking how AI can make them faster.
But that’s the wrong question.

The right one?
How can AI make you better at doing the work that matters?

That shift changed everything for me.

I didn’t plan to write about AI.
But after two years of testing it in real product workflows, from retros to customer feedback to PRDs, it’s now one of the most reliable tools in my stack.

Not because it’s perfect.
Because it’s practical.

This issue is a breakdown of how I actually use AI at HubSpot, what flopped, and the wins that changed how I think.

🧰 How I Actually Use AI (Every Day)

Here’s how it shows up in my real workflow at HubSpot:

1. Prepping retros
→ Drop in Slack threads + call notes
→ Ask AI for themes and draft actions
→ I still write the recap, just faster and sharper

2. Writing help docs
→ Use messy input (calls, chat logs)
→ Get a rough draft
→ Spend my time editing, not formatting

3. Clarifying my thinking
→ Ask “What’s missing?” or “What would confuse a new reader?”
→ Catch logic gaps before sending to eng

4. Feedback analysis (this one changed everything)
→ I used the MCP Connector to pull feedback into ChatGPT
→ It surfaced patterns and direct quotes from customers I’d missed
→ Led to sharper positioning for the next launch

💡 What Changed for Me

I used to treat AI like a writing shortcut.
Now I treat it like a product partner.

→ It unblocks me before meetings
→ It keeps me focused during launches
→ It helps me find real patterns in customer feedback

And more importantly:
It’s helped me show up better for my team.

✅ What Didn’t Work

Tried to have it draft a roadmap once.
It flopped. Not because AI can’t do it, but because I gave it zero context.
Lesson learned: the better the input, the better the partner.

💬 My Honest Take

I didn’t expect to be someone who posts about AI.

Especially not after working at a content company, where we were all super skeptical early on.

But after two years of testing, tweaking, and watching it get better,
It’s now one of the most reliable tools in my toolkit.

Not because it’s trendy.
Because it helps me do the thing, faster, with more clarity, and less chaos.

👇 Try This

If you’re already dabbling with AI, here’s your next move:

→ Pick one high-friction workflow you hate doing
→ Add AI as a helper, not a replacement
→ Give it rich, messy context (not necessarily a crazy prompt from Reddit)
→ Refine, not replace

This is how PMs are scaling without burning out.

Thanks for reading.

AI isn’t magic. It’s leverage.
And used right, it can help you ship faster, think sharper, and stay out of the weeds.

If you’re still figuring it out, you’re not behind.
You’re ahead of the ones still pretending they don’t need it.

See you next Friday,
– Stef

• 📬 Forward this to a PM who’s building with AI

• 🧠 Got a workflow you swear by? Hit reply, I want to steal it

PS: I just signed up as a mentor on ADPList.
If you’re breaking into product, scaling your role, or just need to talk through your next step—I’d love to meet.

See you next Friday,

– Stef

📬 Other Newsletters You Might Like

If you like Stef the PM, here are a few other reads worth checking out:

→ The Byte – Fast, punchy tech and AI news—easy to keep up
→ Anywhere Income – Tactics for building flexible, remote-friendly income
→ Half Baked – Startup experiments, ideas, and early traction stories
→ Customer Success Jobs – New roles in CS, support, and product-adjacent teams

Got one you love? Hit reply, I’m always looking for gems.

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