I am a non-technical owner and I do not want to get snowed by my leadership team when they pitch expensive AI software upgrades. How do I audit these requests to make sure we are buying actual operational leverage and not just high tech theater?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

To keep from paying a high tech tax on useless software, you must demand that every AI proposal be tied to a specific metric on your weekly Scorecard or a direct capacity gain on your Accountability Chart. When your leadership team pitches an AI upgrade, do not get bogged down in the technical jargon of large language models or integrations. Instead, schedule a disciplined Thinking Time session using Keith Cunningham's methodology. Ask this specific question: How might we use this tool to reduce labor hours in this specific seat so that we can reallocate that capacity to higher value client work? Every tool must have a clear owner on your Accountability Chart who GWCs (Gets it, Wants it, and has the Capacity to do it) the tool and its output. If the team cannot point to the exact scorecard metric that will improve, or the exact seat that will gain five to ten hours of capacity per week, then the tool is pure theater. Your role as a non-technical owner is to hold the Integrator accountable to these operational outcomes. Keep the focus entirely on business math and human accountability, letting your team figure out the underlying code while you measure the actual return on investment.