The Punk PM #34

Hey there, punk!

This week I’ve been thinking about how boring most apps have become.

Safe design, predictable flows, nothing that makes you stop and go what the hell is this?

AI could change that. When the cost of building drops to zero, the cost of experimenting disappears too. And that’s when things get interesting.

Let’s get into it.

Quote of the Week 🙊

Insight 🦉

AI is doing for software what punk did for music, smashing the studio system.

You don’t need labels, budgets, or permission anymore. Just noise, energy, and something to say.

Building used to take teams, funding rounds, and months of planning. Now anyone with a half-decent idea can spin up something by the weekend.

Because when building stops being expensive, creativity comes to the fore again.

The last decade of digital products has been defined by efficiency and sameness. Everyone optimising for conversion, retention, and dark-mode minimalism. We traded weirdness for best practice, and everything started to look the same.

But cheap execution levels the field. Suddenly, anyone with an idea can build something strange and brilliant without begging for budget or permission. It feels like the early app era again, when every icon looked a bit wild, every interface had personality, and nobody cared if it was “on brand.”

Maybe we’re on the edge of a punk-rock app renaissance. The barriers are gone, the tools are accessible, and the weird kids are back in the garage, only this time they’re building products instead of bands.

AI doesn’t just make us faster. It removes the cost of failure, and that’s what fuels experimentation.

Not every experiment will be great. Most will be gloriously bad. But that’s the point. The more we can afford to make things, the more likely we are to stumble onto something wonderful.

If the last era of product management was about discipline and validation, this next one might be about energy and rebellion.

The future belongs to the makers who treat AI not as automation but as amplification, and who aren’t afraid to make a bit of noise.

Action 🚀

Next week, make something weird.

Use an AI tool you’ve never touched before and build the smallest, strangest version of an idea that’s been sitting in your notes app.

Don’t overthink it, don’t polish it, and definitely don’t brief it like your project team.

Inspiration 💡

The Creative Renaissance: Generative AI as a New Frontier for Artistic Production – Primavera De Filippi explores how AI isn’t the end of art, but the start of a new medium. Used well, it’s a creative collaborator that helps artists spark ideas, remix styles, and invent new ways to earn a living. A hopeful, human take on the next wave of digital expression. Read more

Rick Rubin: Vibe Coding is the Punk Rock of Software – The legendary producer riffs with a16z on music, code, and creativity in the AI age. His “vibe coding” philosophy is pure Rubin: less process, more instinct. A reminder that the best work—whether albums or apps—comes from trusting your taste. Read more

AI is not "Democratizing Creativity." It's Doing the Opposite – Brian Merchant calls bullshit on Big Tech’s favourite talking point. Far from levelling the field, AI tools risk concentrating creative power in corporate hands. A sharp counterpoint to the hype, and a vital reminder that true punk spirit starts with ownership. Read more

Signing Off ✍️

If this resonates with you, hit reply and let me know what you’re planning to build next week, just because you can. And if you think a friend or colleague would enjoy The Punk PM, feel free to share it with them!

Play it your way,

Toby