Digital-Product-AI-Strategy

This repository documents an in-depth digital product strategy project focused on redefining news consumption for the next generation, specifically Gen Z. The core challenge was to explore how advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) features—such as personalization, recommendation engines, and conversational interfaces—are shaping how young users stay informed

The project utilized a hands-on approach, starting with a nationwide user survey to gather direct insights into Gen Z's patterns and preferences. These real data points were used to evaluate various AI tools and ultimately formulate an actionable strategy for creating a more intuitive and engaging news experience.

Project Goals and Phases

This strategy was developed across five key phases, moving from foundational research to final product recommendations:

1. Explore AI Personalization: Build a foundation in product thinking using frameworks like Jobs To Be Done and analyze how personalization works on successful platforms (e.g., TikTok, Netflix, Spotify).
2. User Research Design: Design and launch a comprehensive survey to understand how Gen Z interacts with and perceives AI-driven personalization in news.
3. Competitive & Data Analysis: Deploy the survey, track responses, and conduct a competitive analysis of rival platforms through the lens of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to identify where features link to specific goals (e.g., retention, engagement, trust).
4. Consumer Insights: Convert raw survey responses into clear, actionable insights by analyzing quantitative data (patterns, trends) and qualitative data (motivations, emotions), enhanced by AI-supported techniques.
5. Product Recommendation: Craft a compelling, data-driven narrative to translate user problems into specific product recommendations and feature ideas, justified by KPI-focused metrics.

Core Problem and Insights

The Personalization Paradox and Trust Crisis

The research revealed a significant gap between user expectations and product delivery:

• Invisibility Problem: Despite investment in personalization features, 26% of Gen Z users report they never notice or use them.

• Trust Crisis: There is a high level of skepticism, with 42% expressing a trust deficit in news apps using their data responsibly. A significant 50% place low or no trust in the ability of platforms to use their data responsibly.

• The Demand for Control: Nearly half (45%) of the audience prefers to manually set their own topics or sources. This confirms that Gen Z rejects the "black box" approach of purely passive, algorithmic systems.

Key Insight: The Trustworthy Co-Pilot

The way forward is functional control. Users demand a co-piloted experience where they maintain control and actively input preferences, while the AI performs the heavy lifting in the background. We must move beyond simply personalizing topics to personalizing the delivery of news.

View Pitch Deck: AI Perosnalization - Consumer Insight

Community Outreach: AI Personalization -PDF