Hey PH community,

I ve been noticing a shift more and more products these days are AI-powered, AI-enhanced, or just... AI everything.

While the possibilities are exciting, I sometimes wonder:

• Are we moving too fast without fully thinking through the problems we re solving?

• Are we relying on AI because it s trendy or because it genuinely improves the product?

Here's everything you need to know

Vertical AI is made up of 3 core products:

Vertical Stream all AI models in one place

I ve launched a free tool for career exploration in tech (AI-powered, no sign-up needed).

Users try it, but very few leave feedback.

What s worked for you to gather early signals without forcing people to fill long forms or hop on calls?

I d love to improve the experience but don t want to nag users.

I'm seeing more products launch on Product Hunt that require payment to actually use any features. No free trial, no freemium tier, just a download that leads straight to a paywall.

Part of me thinks this makes sense. If your product has real value, why give it away? People on Product Hunt understand they're looking at premium tools. Plus offering free access can attract users who will never pay anyway.

But I also see the argument for temporary free access during launch. Product Hunt users want to actually try what they're upvoting. How can they give meaningful feedback or become advocates if they hit a paywall immediately?

Hey makers,

I launched my product recently on Product Hunt. I put effort into the messaging, visuals, and value and was honestly excited to share it. But after 24 hours, I ve barely gotten any traction. A handful of upvotes, no meaningful feedback just cold emails and offers from marketers.

We went from status updates stories short-form video.

From friends followers strangers with shared interests.

From flexing performing now what?
Feels like something's about to break, and rebuild.
Here s a take:

The next wave won t be about going viral - it ll be about belonging.

Product Hunt has launched a significant reconfiguration of the product hub embedding launches within a company's or hub's frame:

I've worked with dozens of early-stage teams and saw the same pattern:

they want organic traffic

they publish a few blog posts

I'm talking to founders who struggle with trial-to-paid conversion. Most of the ones I've chatted with say the same thing:

"We get signups, but users go quiet after a few days. We have no idea what went wrong until they're already gone."

Caution: We re treading on thin ice.

I understand why big companies lobby for better conditions in their field. I see it more as a form of collective interest.