Last week I attended a workshop focused on building an AI strategy. It included a road map, outlining the major considerations and a progression of steps to follow. A highlight included lively conversation with other industry peers. It was affirming and reassuring to hear about others struggling and triumphing with AI.
Usually at these events I walk away overcome by the speed, power, and magnitude AI as a presence in our lives. AI is seeping into everyday things we use. Sometimes we may not even realize it’s there. Other times, we may notice, but there may not be an easy way to disengage. This time, however, I left the event feeling different. Although AI is advancing rapidly, it’s important to focus on the real and tangible ways it’s available and useful to us.
The uses and options for AI are wide, varied, and only limited by our imaginations. However, some of the best benefits are realized by using AI as a humble, assistant. When I started my consultancy, many people advised me that the first position to hire would be an assistant. I never made the leap. If I thought back about that time, part of it was that I didn’t understand how to parse and delegate tasks. I couldn’t separate the mundane, tedious parts of my work eating away at my time and profit margin. It took effort to figure out which aspects of my everyday routine could, in fact, be handled by someone else.
I never did manage to hire that assistant, though I did try a virtual service a couple of times. The service was okay, but the research I needed took a lot of explaining and resulted in subpar results. Now, of course, I could tailor the research myself. AI is available to assist me with a few carefully worded prompts. Within minutes AI can produce similar results to the virtual service and still leave me with the same amount of effort required to review.
Now, older and wiser, I could actually use an assistant. And not for anything grandiose or fantastical. Rather I find AI useful for everyday, mundane tasks. This is especially true for ones I don’t particularly like doing, or can’t manage to find adequate time to focus. Examples include creating meal plans, shopping lists, or even routine email replies. The reach is basic and the results are real.
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