Quoting Mitchell Hashimoto

2026-05-12 · Source: Simon Willison's Weblog · Field: Business & Management — Corporate Strategy & Leadership, Project & Product Management, Consulting & Professional Services · Depth: Fundamental Awareness, quick

Summary

Mitchell Hashimoto observes that 90% of Technical Decision Makers (TDMs) are primarily motivated by job security, rather than deep technical interest or extracurricular engagement. These individuals typically adhere to established industry trends and analyst recommendations from firms like Gartner and McKinsey. Hashimoto suggests that TDMs will favor solutions or strategies, such as a "Context Engine for AI Apps," that are perceived as defensible and align with prevailing expert advice, thereby minimizing personal career risk. This behavior drives purchasing decisions towards widely endorsed concepts rather than niche or cutting-edge innovations.

Key takeaway

For AI Product Managers developing new offerings, your messaging should directly address the job security concerns of Technical Decision Makers. Frame your solution as a "defensible" choice that aligns with major analyst recommendations from firms like Gartner or McKinsey, rather than focusing solely on technical superiority. This approach increases the likelihood of adoption by appealing to their primary motivation of minimizing career risk.

Key insights

Technical Decision Makers prioritize job security, aligning with analyst-backed trends over deep technical exploration.

Principles

• Job security drives TDM decisions
• TDMs follow secular industry trends
• Analyst reports influence purchasing

In practice

• Align product messaging with analyst reports
• Emphasize defensibility in solution proposals

Topics

• Technical Decision Makers
• Decision-Making Psychology
• Job Security
• Analyst Influence
• Technology Adoption

Best for: Director of AI/ML, AI Product Manager, Consultant

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Simon Willison's Weblog.