Interested in AI, But Not Sure Where to Use It? Start Here.

## The Problem Isn't Awareness — It's Application AI isn't short of use cases. What's missing is **clarity**. Because most leaders are approaching this the wrong way: * Starting with tools * Jumping to solutions * Looking for quick wins Instead of asking: > **Where are we already losing time, money, or consistency?** AI doesn't create value in isolation. It **amplifies what's already there** — good or bad. ## Why Most AI Efforts Stall It usually looks like this: 1. Someone experiments with ChatGPT 2. A few prompts get shared internally 3. There's some initial excitement 4. Then… nothing really sticks Why? Because there's no connection between: * AI usage * Business processes * Commercial outcomes It stays as **activity**, not **impact**. ## A Better Way to Think About AI Don't start with: * "What can AI do?" Start with: > **"Where are we doing repetitive, manual, or inconsistent work?"** That's where AI lives. ## The 5-Area Opportunity Framework If you're not sure where to begin, look across these five areas: ### 1. Repetition Where are people doing the same task over and over? * Writing similar emails * Producing standard documents * Reformatting information 👉 AI thrives on repetition. ### 2. Bottlenecks Where does work slow down or queue? * Waiting for approvals * Chasing information * Manual handovers between teams 👉 AI can remove friction and speed flow. ### 3. Decision-Making Where are decisions slow, inconsistent, or experience-dependent? * Pricing * Qualification * Risk assessment 👉 AI can introduce structure and consistency. ### 4. Knowledge Gaps Where do people rely on "knowing who to ask"? * Internal expertise locked in individuals * Repeated questions * Inconsistent answers 👉 AI can make knowledge accessible and scalable. ### 5. Content & Communication Where is time spent creating or adapting content? * Proposals * Reports * Marketing content * Internal comms 👉 AI can accelerate and standardise output. ## The Questions That Actually Unlock Use Cases Instead of brainstorming ideas, ask these: ### Process Questions * What tasks take longer than they should? * What gets done differently depending on who does it? * Where do we rely on manual effort that could be structured? ### People Questions * Where are our best people doing low-value work? * What knowledge sits in individuals rather than systems? * Where do new starters struggle to get up to speed? ### Commercial Questions * Where are we losing margin through inefficiency? * What delays impact revenue or delivery? * Where do errors or inconsistency cost us? ### Customer Questions * Where is response time too slow? * Where is communication inconsistent? * What frustrates customers that we've accepted as "normal"? ## A Simple Exercise (Do This With Your Team) Pick one area of the business and map: 1. **What happens today (step by step)** 2. **Where time is lost** 3. **Where decisions are unclear** 4. **Where work is repeated** Then ask: > "If this was designed from scratch today, would we do it this way?" That's your starting point for AI. ## What You'll Notice Quickly * The opportunities are already there * They're usually operational, not technical * They don't require complex solutions And most importantly: > **You don't need dozens of use cases — you need a few that actually matter.** ## The Mistake to Avoid Trying to "do AI" across the whole business at once. This leads to: * Scattered efforts * No ownership * No measurable impact Instead: * Start with 1–2 high-value areas * Solve properly * Build from there ## Where AI Actually Delivers Value Not in: * Fancy demos * One-off prompts * Disconnected tools But in: * **Structured processes** * **Repeatable workflows** * **Clear business outcomes** ## What This Means for Leaders Your role isn't to understand the technology in detail. Your role is to: * Identify where the business is inefficient * Create clarity around priorities * Ensure solutions tie back to outcomes AI is just a lever. ## Final Thought If you're unsure where AI fits in your business, that's not a weakness. It's a sign you're asking the right question. Because the answer isn't: > "Where can we use AI?" It's: > **"Where are we already working harder than we need to?"** That's where the opportunity is. ## Suggested Actions * Identify one process that feels inefficient * Map it with your team (start to finish) * Highlight repetition, delays, and inconsistencies * Explore where structure or automation could help * Start small — but solve it properly ## FAQ ### How do we find AI opportunities in our own business? Look for work that repeats, requires re-keying, waits on someone else, or gets skipped when the team is busy. Those four patterns account for most genuine opportunities in an SME. ### Should we ask "how can we use AI?" No. That question starts from the tool and ends with a solution looking for a problem. Ask which parts of the business cost you time, money or customers, then decide whether AI is the right response. ### What if we have too many ideas? Score them on frequency, effort saved per run and risk if it goes wrong. Start with high frequency, decent saving and low risk. The exciting ideas usually belong later.

This article was written by Peter Lowe. The ideas and opinions are his own; AI was used to assist with drafting and editing.