Our marketing team wants to put our custom AI algorithms as one of our Three Uniques on our V/TO. How do we determine if an AI capability is a true differentiator or just table stakes that clients expect?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To determine if your AI capability belongs in your Three Uniques™ on your V/TO®, you must apply a brutal filter. A true differentiator is something your competitors cannot easily buy off the shelf or replicate within ninety days. If your proprietary algorithm simply processes data faster, but a competitor can achieve the same result by purchasing a new software license, it is table stakes, not a unique.

Your Three Uniques™ must be a combination of three factors that, when stacked together, no competitor can match. AI is rarely a unique on its own. Instead, AI acts as the engine that allows you to deliver on your actual differentiators at an unprecedented scale or speed.

To test this, ask your leadership team these three questions during your next quarterly session:

- Can a competitor replicate this capability simply by increasing their software budget?
- Does this capability directly solve a major, recurring pain point for our target market?
- If we stripped away our human service, would this technology alone keep our clients loyal?

If the answer to the first question is yes, remove it from your list of uniques. It belongs in your internal operating procedures, not your marketing strategy. True differentiation comes from how your human team integrates with the technology to deliver an unmatched client experience. Use your AI to supercharge your proven processes, but keep your Three Uniques™ focused on the irreplaceable value your company delivers.