By Teresa Torres · producttalk.org · @ttorres on X · LinkedIn
This podcast episode, hosted by Teresa Torres with co-host Petra Wille, previews the 2026 Product at Heart conference. The hosts explain that curating a single-track event is harder when AI moves so quickly, so AI will appear throughout the program as everyday tooling rather than as a siloed track. They outline confirmed speakers, the growing role of roundtables as an alternative track, and hands-on workshops covering AI workflows and success metrics. They also describe the Product Leadership Event expanding into a 1.5-day, capped retreat focused on peer connection. The episode is mainly a conference announcement with some insight into how the organizers think about program design.
01Key takeaways
- AI is best treated as part of the everyday product toolkit rather than a separate topic.
- A single-track program forces tighter curation, so every session should earn its place.
- Roundtables can give attendees a richer, more participatory alternative to stage talks.
- Small, peer-focused formats like capped leadership retreats can create more useful connections.
- Hands-on workshops that build personal AI workflows help practitioners apply new tools immediately.
02Key sections
- Curating a single-track conference
- The hosts discuss why choosing one track is harder in a fast-changing AI landscape. Every talk must justify its place in the program.
- Speakers and keynotes
- A preview of confirmed keynotes and the themes they will explore, from storytelling to digital afterlife and AI learning.
- Roundtables as an alternative track
- Roundtables have become an attendee favorite and now function as a parallel way to engage beyond stage talks.
- Hands-on workshops
- Workshops span AI workflow building, metrics, and content for product managers, leaders, and people entering new roles.
- Expanded leadership retreat
- The product leadership event grows into a 1.5-day, intimate retreat with excursions, dinners, and mini-workshops, capped at 60 attendees.
03From the post
“Listen to this episode on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts In this episode, Petra Wille and Teresa Torres sit down to talk about what’s coming to Product at Heart 2026—from the speaker lineup to the workshops to the big structural shifts shaping next year’s conference. They unpack why curating”
04Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.