The subject of Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to have taken over the world, particularly in business arenas. Everywhere you look, online and offline, someone is trying to get you to try the latest tool or app or selling their course or system. While the implementation of AI tools in your business can certainly represent progress and innovation it can also be very confusing. How do you know you are getting the best AI tools and services for your business?

AI is a dynamic field, constantly evolving and offering thousands of new tools and updates to those tools for businesses to enhance their operations. For example, I recently had to create an update to a class I delivered 7 months ago because the AI behind it evolved that much in a short period of time. With this rapid expansion comes the challenge of discernment – understanding which AI tools align best with your business goals and processes. The key lies not in adapting your business to AI, but in integrating AI that seamlessly aligns with your business needs.

Unfortunately, the industry has it backwards and has forced most business owners to accept whatever is presented to them. Business owners have been consumed with what I call ‘shiny shit syndrome’ and fall victim to claims of the latest, greatest ‘mouse trap’ when it really doesn’t do anything to help them grow or scale their business, make more money, or streamline operations. I mean, isn’t that why we buy all this stuff? To scale our businesses, make more money, or streamline operations?

Small and medium business owners have been conditioned not place an emphasis on looking for tools that will give them an ROI. They often purchase tools and resources because it’s the newest and loudest product out there or from a recommendation or after seeing 1 nifty feature of the software but little else. This method of purchasing and incorporating technology is counterproductive… and don’t get me started on the time and energy it takes to learn some of this stuff. 😊 I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to talk clients out of purchasing a tool, both AI and non-AI related, because it didn’t fit their business model.

How do we begin to make the shift from ‘shiny shit syndrome’ to technology that will serve our businesses instead? It's crucial to move away from the allure of 'shiny new things' to a more structured approach in choosing AI tools. The IDEAL framework provides a systematic method to navigate this dynamic field, ensuring that the AI tools you select not only fit your business model but also offer real value and ROI.

Let’s explore how each step of the IDEAL framework aligns with crucial steps in AI tool integration.

"IDEAL" is the acronym that describes my structured framework designed to guide businesses in the process of selecting and implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. Each letter in "IDEAL" stands for a specific step in the process, ensuring that the integration of AI into business operations is both strategic and effective. Here's a breakdown of what each letter represents:

1. Identify: This step involves recognizing and understanding the specific needs, challenges, and opportunities within your business that could be addressed with AI solutions. It's about pinpointing where AI can make the most impact. It is also about researching and locating AI solutions that provide the service or impact your business needs.

2. Determine: Here, the focus is on evaluating the potential of various AI tools against your identified needs. This includes assessing the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential return on investment (ROI) of different AI solutions.

3. Examine: In this phase, you thoroughly test and assess the suitability of the chosen AI tools. It involves scrutinizing the tool's functionality, integration capabilities, and user-friendliness through trials or demos.

4. Acquire: This step is about making the final decision to purchase the AI tool that best aligns with your business objectives and has passed the evaluation and examination phases.

5. Launch: The final step is the implementation and integration of the AI tool into your business operations. This includes setting up the tool, training staff on how to use it effectively, and ensuring it integrates smoothly with existing systems and processes.

The IDEAL framework is designed to help businesses navigate the complex landscape of AI tools and technologies, ensuring that they choose solutions that are not only technically advanced but also offer real, measurable value to their business operations.

This week, we will do a deep dive into each part of the IDEAL framework and how you can implement it in your own business. Let’s get started!