Sophia - Journey to AI product manager
- Yen
- Apr 11
- 4 min read
Ever wondered how a background in digital media could lead to building AI tools for teachers?
Meet our amazing alumna Sophia who took the leap from studying digital media in Germany to exploring the the world of tech and education in Sweden—and now works as a product manager designing AI-powered products for teachers.
So, what led her into the IT and Learning programme?
“It all started with a friend,” Sophia shared. One of her student colleagues had joined the programme a year earlier and Sophia decided to take a look at it. Both had studied digital media in their bachelor's, and they were particularly inspired by topics like the history of programming languages and how to teach children with computers. And +1 for the master as it is from Sweden, which was easy for her to apply and of course, free tuition!!!
First impressions: theory, creativity, and flexibility
While the first semester seemed a bit dry to her, since it was full of theories, Sophia enjoyed the hands-on, creative modules — in the second semester. Redesigning Canvas was a stand-out project for her, since she got hands on experience in how to make it more accessible for users with dyslexia. This was a part of the TIA 132 – Digital tools for communication and learning or often known by us students as "The design course".
“Guest lectures were a big plus too. And the flexibility in the third semester meant I could do an internship abroad, which really helped shape my career.”
A favourite elective? AI and Design!
The elective course "AI and Design" turned out to be a highlight. It was taught online by various design professionals and explored topics like image generation, animation, and 3D modelling with AI.
“Super cool stuff. I learned something new every week!”
Gaining skills that matter—especially for her job
The skill that stuck with her the most? User experience research. She learned how to design tech with users in mind, conduct interviews, and evaluate how accessible tools really are.
“And now, that’s my job! I do user research all the time, especially with teachers, to improve our products.”
From internship to product manager
Her internship played a key role in shaping her career. She wanted to see what it was like working in Germany again (after having a student job in Denmark), and found a company that built digital tools for teachers and students.
“That was it for me. I knew I wanted to stay in the education space. During my internship, I discovered the role of a product manager—something I hadn’t considered before. I realized I loved the mix of talking to users, doing research, and shaping the product. And that’s what I do now!”
And if you're still confused about which direction to take - a research or company internship - take a look at these blog posts on internship experiences for more inspiration:
A typical day? Collaboration, creation, and a whole lot of talking
As a product manager, no two days are exactly the same—but communication is at the heart of everything.
“I talk to teachers, gather feedback, coordinate with sales, support, and marketing teams, and then spend time developing new concepts for our tools.”
She’s also the go-to person for AI prompting, that means writing and refining prompts to power AI assistants, like lesson plan generators for teachers. Her master’s thesis was on comparing general AI tools with specialized assistants for lesson planning. (Spoiler: specialized ones win.)
Tools of the trade
Some of the digital tools she uses daily include:
Slack (for internal communication)
Figma (for design and prototyping)
Google Docs (for collaborating and brainstorming)
AI tools (for content generation, drafting tooltips, emails, and more)
Her top hard skills?
Prompt writing for AI assistants
User research & analysis
Clear, structured communication
But she emphasized that soft skills—like teamwork and communication—are just as important in her role.
Advice for future product managers (especially from non-tech backgrounds)
“Start by building a small but solid portfolio,” she suggests. “Even just one strong project, like the one we did in the design course, can show how you approach a problem and communicate your ideas.”
She also encourages learning tools like Figma, but reassures that you don’t need to be an expert coder to break into product management.
Final words of wisdom
We wrapped up by asking what advice she’d give to:
Someone applying to the programme? “Just go for it—and prepare for the dark Swedish winters!”
Someone currently in the programme? “Explore! Try out different courses and find what excites you most.”
Someone about to graduate? “Don’t keep your work hidden. Use your projects to build a portfolio and get noticed.”
Sophia's story is a great reminder for me that you don’t have to have it all figured out from day one—just stay curious, try things out, and follow what excites you.
Thank you Sophia for such an interesting and inspiring talk.
And bonus for you our dear readers, is Sophia's favorite place in Gothenburg!
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