Shifting Positioning When AI Capabilities are Rapidly Changing

aprildunford.substack.com

3 Sept 2026 · Marketing

4 min read → 30 sec

AI products can gain new capabilities so quickly that positioning feels unstable. A three-step check helps separate feature changes from real shifts in customer value that require repositioning.

Rapid AI feature changes do not automatically require new positioning.

Positioning changes when new capabilities create new customer value, not when they only strengthen existing value themes.

Value themes usually change more slowly than features.

Messaging details shift more often than high-level positioning.

Positioning built on customer value is more stable than positioning built on feature lists.

New positioning starts when new AI capabilities create new customer value.

Stronger capabilities alone do not require it.

An application security product keeps its positioning when stronger Anthropic responses still support better incident response.

The same product needs new positioning when Anthropic enables compliance-audit automation.

That capability adds unrelated customer value.