Every department head on my leadership team is pitching a different AI tool they want to try, and it is starting to feel like expensive tech theater. How do we filter out the shiny toys and focus only on AI that improves our core operations?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When every software vendor slaps an AI label on their product, it is easy for your team to get distracted by shiny tools. To cut through the theater, you must filter every proposal through your business issues and your core processes. If a tool does not solve an active issue on your weekly Issues List, it is noise.

Establish a simple rule for the leadership team: we do not buy AI tools; we solve operational bottlenecks. When a department head wants to implement a new technology, have them present the business case without using the words artificial intelligence or machine learning.

Force them to answer three simple questions:

- Which core process on our V/TO® will this improve?

- Which metric on our Scorecard will this move?

- What is the specific bottleneck this tool will eliminate?

If they cannot answer these questions clearly, the tool is a distraction. Do not approve software subscriptions just to look innovative. Keep your focus on building system-dependent operations that increase efficiency and protect your margins. By treating AI as a footnote to operational improvement, you ensure that every dollar you spend on technology delivers a real, measurable result on your bottom line.