We are planning our 1-Year Plan and need to know how to prioritize competing AI initiatives. How do we filter these tech projects to ensure they support our core focus rather than distracting us?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When you sit down for your annual planning session, your V/TO must be the ultimate filter for every technology investment. To prioritize your AI projects, evaluate each one against your three-year operational goals and your Core Focus. Ask your leadership team two questions.

- First, does this AI initiative directly solve a major bottleneck in our current core process? If your biggest operational pain point is inventory management, do not spend budget on an AI marketing writer.
- Second, does this tool directly improve our customer experience?

If a project does not pass both of these filters, shelve it. Once you have a list of qualified projects, prioritize them based on ease of implementation and financial impact. Choose the top one or two initiatives and write them as company Rocks for the upcoming quarters. Assign a single owner on your Accountability Chart to lead each project. By focusing on just one or two high-impact AI Rocks at a time, you ensure your team actually executes instead of getting overwhelmed by too many technical changes. This disciplined approach keeps your business running smoothly while steadily building your technological edge.