Editor's Synopsis
Karri Saarinen, co-founder of Linear, shares the company's deliberate approach to integrating AI into their product. Rather than rushing to be first to market with AI features, Linear experimented internally and focused on understanding which workflows actually mattered to their users, while waiting for the underlying models to improve.
Saarinen acknowledges the trade-off of giving up the first-mover advantage, but argues it resulted in a much clearer view of where AI can genuinely be useful for companies. This reflects a broader product philosophy of prioritizing quality and intentionality over hype-driven feature releases.