Where to start with AI: a 30-day plan

You do not need a strategy deck or a consultant to start. You need one boring, repetitive task and a month.

Week 1: pick one task

Choose something you do every week that is mostly writing or sorting: customer emails, review replies, product descriptions, meeting notes. Write down how long it takes now. Our time savings calculator helps you add it up.

Week 2: set up safely

  • Choose one AI assistant. A business plan is worth it if you will paste anything about customers.
  • Turn off training on your data if the setting exists.
  • Write a one-page AI policy so everyone knows what can and cannot be pasted.

Week 3: use a playbook

Follow one of our playbooks step by step. Keep a note of every correction you make to the AI’s drafts and add it to your instructions.

Week 4: measure and decide

How long does the task take now, including checking? If it is clearly faster and the quality is fine, keep it and pick the next task. If not, stop; not every task benefits.

What not to start with

  • Anything where a mistake is costly: prices, legal letters, medical or safety information.
  • Customer-facing chatbots. Start internal, then go public once you trust it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest way to start using AI in a small business?

Pick one repetitive writing task, such as customer email replies, and use a general AI assistant for a month while measuring the time it takes.

Questions from readers

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