5 Ways I Actually Use AI to Develop Physical Products

Everybody’s talking about AI, but nobody’s showing you how it actually works for physical products. In this episode, Ryan walks through the five ways he uses AI every single day — not hypothetically, but in real product development happening right now across Plus-Plus USA and his own new product launches.

He also shares the CRIT framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task) from Geoff Woods’ book The AI-Driven Leader, and the story of how a chance encounter with Elf on the Shelf co-creator Christa Pitts at the Licensing Expo changed the way he works.

The five ways:

1. Market research & validation — pressure-testing ideas before spending a dollar
2. Naming & branding — from 20 candidates to the right one, plus building a full brand kit
3. Margin math & cost modeling — scenario planning for tariffs, fees, and scale
4. Mocking up packaging concepts — re-skinning products, testing new themes and form factors
5. Proofing final products — catching typos, UPC errors, and getting a “retail buyer” critique

Links mentioned in this episode:
— Book: The AI-Driven Leader by Geoff Woods — https://www.aileadership.com/book/
— Free margin math calculator — https://makerealstuff.com/pages/margin-calculator
— Book a free 30-minute call with Ryan — https://calendly.com/ryan-makerealstuff/30min
— Make Real Stuff on YouTube — https://youtube.com/@makerealstuff

Try this prompt: “I have an idea for [your product]. Ask me the 10 hardest questions a retail buyer would ask before putting this on a shelf.”