We have a list of five different AI projects our team wants to build, but we have limited capital. How do we filter these ideas to ensure we are not paying a dumb tax on cool but useless technology?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

It is easy for a leadership team to get excited about multiple AI projects, but pursuing the wrong ones will result in a massive dumb tax of wasted time and capital. To filter your AI ideas and identify which ones will actually build enterprise value, you must establish a rigorous evaluation process. Start by framing high-value questions during your Thinking Time, such as: How might we use AI in this specific seat to reduce delivery time by fifty percent without losing customer trust? Evaluate each proposed project against your V/TO to ensure it directly supports your long-term goals. You should also assess the expected return on investment and how the project will impact your Scorecard metrics. If an AI project does not directly improve your profit margins, solve a major bottleneck, or enhance your 3 Uniques, table it. By staying disciplined and only greenlighting projects that solve real business problems, you protect your cash flow and build a streamlined, highly valuable operation.