LinkedIn Launches Full Stack Builder Pilots Through Small Pods

The Full Stack Builder Model: LinkedIn's Approach to AI-Powered Product Development

Tomer Cohen, LinkedIn's Chief Product Officer, has developed a new approach to product development called the "Full Stack Builder" model that embraces AI capabilities to create more nimble, adaptive organizations. This model aims to empower builders to take ideas to market regardless of their traditional role.

Why This Transformation Is Necessary

• The pace of change is now faster than organizations' ability to respond
• By 2030, 70% of the skills required for current jobs will change
• The fastest growing jobs are growing by 70%+ year over year
• 70% of today's fastest growing jobs weren't even on the list a year ago
• Traditional product development has become unnecessarily complex:
  • Simple processes expanded into many sub-steps
  • Process complexity led to organizational complexity
  • Organizational complexity led to micro-specialization
  • Result: bloated teams, slow development cycles, and rigid structures

The Full Stack Builder Framework

Core Concept

• Enable builders to develop experiences end-to-end
• Combine skills across traditionally distinct domains
• Create fluid interaction between human and machine
• Focus on the mission rather than functional specialization

Three Key Components

1. Platform: Re-architect core platforms so AI can reason over them

   • Build composable UI components with server-side support
   • Customize third-party tools to work with internal systems
   • Create foundations that allow AI to understand company-specific context

2. Tools & Agents: Build specialized AI assistants for different functions

   • Trust Agent: Evaluates vulnerabilities and harm vectors in product ideas
   • Growth Agent: Critiques growth potential of ideas using historical data
   • Research Agent: Trained on member personas and support tickets
   • Analyst Agent: Queries the LinkedIn graph without requiring SQL knowledge
   • Maintenance Agent: Fixes failed builds (handling ~50% of build failures)

3. Culture: Create systems that encourage adoption and new ways of working

   • Change performance expectations and evaluation criteria
   • Pilot success stories within the organization
   • Create a dedicated training program (Associate Product Builder)
   • Celebrate wins and highlight examples in all-hands meetings
   • Make tools accessible and incorporate feedback

Human vs. AI Responsibilities

Human-Focused Areas (What Builders Should Do)

• Vision: Developing compelling stances about the future
• Empathy: Understanding profound unmet needs
• Communication: Aligning and rallying others around ideas
• Creativity: Coming up with possibilities beyond the obvious
• Judgment: Making high-quality decisions in complex, ambiguous situations

AI-Focused Areas (What Should Be Automated)

• Research and data analysis
• Prototyping and design implementation
• Code generation and maintenance
• Testing and quality assurance
• Documentation and specifications

Implementation Approach

• Start with small pods rather than large-scale rollout
• Replace traditional APM program with Associate Full Stack Builder program
• Create a formal "Full Stack Builder" career track anyone can join
• Measure success by: (Experiment Volume × Quality) ÷ Time
• Focus on top performers who naturally gravitate toward improving their craft
• Don't just provide tools—build incentives, motivation, and examples
• Invest in change management as a critical component

Key Learnings

• Off-the-shelf AI tools rarely work without significant customization
• Don't give AI access to all company information—curate "golden examples"
• Different teams gravitate toward different tools for the same function
• Top performers tend to adopt these tools first and get the most value
• Not everyone wants to be a full stack builder—specialization still has a place
• The cultural shift is as important as the technological one
• Be patient with the transformation while maintaining ambitious goals