Don't Adopt AI Without a Strategy

The most dangerous thing an SME can do right now isn't ignoring AI. It's adopting it without a strategy.

Two types of businesses

Right now, I'm seeing two types of businesses when it comes to AI:

1. The ones doing nothing. They'll fall behind.
2. The ones rushing in. They're creating new problems.

Neither is a good place to be.

The ones rushing in are the ones I'm more worried about. AI-generated responses are going off-script and damaging brand trust. Tools are stacked on top of tools with no clear ROI. Sensitive data is flowing into platforms without proper governance.

The issue isn't AI. It's the absence of clarity, ownership and control.

Start with high-friction problems

In our own work, we're developing AI in three specific areas right now:

• Customer support workflows
• Image classification to minimise manual reviews
• Faster quoting processes

Not because AI is trending. Because these are high-friction, high-cost problems where it actually helps.

What problem are we solving?

Before touching any AI platform, every business should be clear on one thing: what problem are we actually solving?

If you can't answer that clearly, you're not ready to implement. You're ready to waste money.

The businesses that win with AI won't be the fastest. They'll be the most intentional.

If you're exploring AI but don't have a clear picture of where it fits or how to control it, what's stopping you from mapping that out first?