How Mad Kudu’s Francis Brero Uses AI in Product Development

AI isn’t just changing the way we build software—it’s redefining what it means to develop products altogether. Instead of spending hours writing code, teams are shifting their focus to designing architecture and concepts, while AI handles much of the heavy lifting.

That’s exactly what Francis Brero, co-founder of MadKudu, is seeing firsthand. In our conversation, he broke down how his team is using AI to speed up development, iterate faster, and rethink what product development looks like in an AI-native world.

If you’re a SaaS founder wondering how AI can make your product team more efficient, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in.

Watch the Full Interview with Francis Brero of MadKudu

The Shift to AI-Driven Product Development

For years, building a product meant manually coding every feature, fixing bugs, and iterating slowly. But AI is changing that.

Francis explained it perfectly:

“AI is taking us one level higher. Instead of coding, we just define the concepts we want to bring together, and AI generates the code.”

This is a huge shift. Instead of thinking line by line, product teams are now thinking big picture, structuring ideas, defining goals, and letting AI execute the details.

For MadKudu, this means faster prototyping, more iterations, and a huge boost in development speed.

How MadKudu Uses AI to Build & Iterate Faster

MadKudu isn’t just using AI as a side tool—they’ve integrated it deeply into their development workflow.

Here’s how:

• From GitHub Copilot to Cursor – The team made the switch because Cursor’s agentic mode allows them to feed AI their internal documentation, making it smarter and more useful.
• AI-powered bug fixes – AI doesn’t just suggest code; it understands their architecture and helps solve issues faster.
• Faster iteration cycles – AI enables them to test, learn, and refine at a speed that wasn’t possible before.

Francis put it simply:

“We’re no longer thinking about writing code—we’re thinking about architecture.”

And that’s the key. AI isn’t just automating coding—it’s changing the way we think about development.

The Future of AI in Product Development

This shift raises a big question: What happens to technical moats?

For years, startups relied on their unique technology to maintain a competitive edge. But Francis made a great point—technical moats are fading because switching tools is easier than ever.

“Switching from one development tool to another is frictionless. The real challenge isn’t technical—it’s about distribution.”

That means founders need to think beyond tech. AI will continue evolving, making development faster and more accessible, but what will truly set companies apart is how they reach and serve their customers.

4 Takeaways for SaaS Founders: How to Leverage AI in Development

If you’re building a SaaS product, here’s what you should be thinking about:

1. Don’t overthink AI, just start experimenting. The barrier to entry is lower than you think.
2. Use AI to automate the small stuff. Free up your team’s time for high-level problem-solving.
3. Focus on speed and iteration. The companies that move fastest will win.
4. Understand that AI won’t replace developers—it will empower them. The role of engineering is shifting from coding to strategy and architecture.

Final Thoughts: The AI-Native Future

Talking with Francis, one thing was clear: AI isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a transformation.

MadKudu is proving that when you fully embrace AI, you don’t just build products faster—you change the way product development works entirely.

So the real question is: Are you integrating AI deeply into your product team, or are you waiting on the sidelines?

If you want to hear more from Francis about how MadKudu is leveraging AI in product development, watch the full interview here.

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