Israeli Tech Leaders Discuss AI's Transformative Impact on Product Development and Workforce Skills
At the Calcalist and HIT Industry Future Conference, Israeli tech executives from Monday.com, JFrog, Fiverr, and AppsFlyer shared insights on how AI is reshaping their companies and workforce. Adi Broza Margolis, EVP Product at Fiverr, explained that AI has dramatically accelerated operational changes, with dedicated AI task forces enhancing product development to deliver faster, business-impacting results. Fiverr combined internal talent with external AI experts to lead this transformation.
Avi Dantes, Director of Product Design at AppsFlyer, highlighted that AI has enabled the company to unify organizational knowledge, making data more accessible and improving decision-making. AppsFlyer recently raised over $1 billion in funding and is focused on building AI-driven product layers while maintaining data neutrality. Dantes emphasized the need for employees who understand AI fundamentals and can lead its integration without being led by it.
JFrog’s Chief Product & Engineering Officer, Sagie Dudai, described AI’s pervasive role since late 2023, noting a dramatic increase in product release speed and the growing importance of software supply chain security amid rising cyberattacks leveraging similar AI models. Dudai stressed the importance of academic education fostering curiosity and critical thinking, alongside practical AI cost management.
Monday.com’s VP R&D, Liron Shtraichman, revealed a bold company pivot from work management to AI-driven work execution. The company paused all operations for a month to focus on AI integration, marking a fundamental shift in product strategy. Shtraichman noted that while academic training remains relevant, new skills are needed to effectively harness AI capabilities and manage costs related to AI usage.
All executives agreed on the critical need for flexible, thoughtful employees who can adapt to evolving AI tools. Dantes warned that superficial AI-generated outputs can appear polished but lack depth, underscoring the importance of teaching critical thinking and personal responsibility in AI-driven creation.
