There's always an AI demo that wows the room — and quietly derails the roadmap. Impressive-in-a-meeting and valuable-in-the-workflow are different things, and confusing them costs quarters.

The filter

  1. Ask what job it does. If you can't name the recurring user job it serves, it's a demo, not a feature.
  2. Check the frequency. A dazzling capability used once a year doesn't deserve roadmap space over a dull one used daily.
  3. Estimate the true cost. Flashy AI features often carry heavy inference and maintenance costs the demo hides.
  4. Say no out loud, with reasoning. Document why you passed so the idea doesn't resurface every quarter.

Bottom line: judge AI features by the recurring job they do, not the gasp they get in a demo — saying no to the flashy one protects the roadmap.