Don't Know Where to Start with AI? Ask This One Question

AI feels overwhelming. Every week there's a new tool, a new capability, a new thing you're apparently supposed to be using. The jargon alone is enough to make your head spin.

But here's the thing: you don't need to understand everything. You just need to start somewhere useful.

And there's one question that will point you in the right direction.

The Question

"If I had access to better skills tomorrow, where would I use them?"

That's it. That question cuts through all the noise about what AI can do and focuses on what AI should do for your specific business.

Think about the areas where you struggle. Where do you wish you had more expertise? Where do you spend money on specialists you can barely afford? Where does lack of knowledge slow you down?

Those are your AI opportunities.

Why This Works

AI is essentially borrowed expertise. It gives you access to skills you don't have, without hiring someone who does.

• Don't have a copywriter? AI can help you write.
• Don't have a designer's eye? AI can suggest improvements.
• Don't have a data analyst? AI can spot patterns in your numbers.
• Don't have a marketing strategist? AI can help you think through campaigns.

The question focuses your attention on gaps that actually matter to your business, not on whatever the tech industry is hyped about this week.

A Second Question

Once you've identified where better skills would help, ask:

"If I had more hands tomorrow, what would they be doing?"

This question identifies repetitive tasks that eat your time. Data entry. Email responses. Scheduling. Research. Formatting.

These are often excellent candidates for AI assistance or automation.

Getting Started: Practical Examples

If You Said "Writing"

Start with ChatGPT or Claude. Don't ask it to write a perfect blog post from scratch. Instead:

• Give it your rough notes and ask it to structure them
• Ask it to improve a draft you've written
• Have it generate alternative headlines for something you're working on
• Use it to repurpose content into different formats

If You Said "Answering Questions"

Consider an AI chatbot for your website or WhatsApp. It can handle frequently asked questions, qualify leads, and provide instant responses, all while you focus on other things.

If You Said "Research"

Use AI to summarise documents, analyse competitors, or gather information on topics you need to understand quickly. It's like having a research assistant who works instantly.

If You Said "Data and Numbers"

AI can analyse spreadsheets, identify trends, and even create visualisations. Feed it your data and ask questions about it.

The Mistake Everyone Makes

Most people start by asking "What can AI do?" and then try to find applications.

This leads to using AI for the sake of it, impressive demos that don't actually help your business.

Flip it around. Start with your problems, then see if AI can help.

You Don't Need to Be an Expert

You don't need to understand large language models, neural networks, or machine learning algorithms. You just need to know your business problems and be willing to experiment with solutions.

Think of AI like electricity. You don't need to understand how power generation works to benefit from turning on a light switch.

A Simple Starting Point

1. Answer the question: Where would better skills help most in my business?
2. Pick one area: Don't try to transform everything at once
3. Try one tool: ChatGPT is a good starting point for most things
4. Experiment: Give it a real task from your work
5. Iterate: Refine your prompts based on what works

You'll learn more from one afternoon of actual experimentation than from a week of reading about AI.

What If It Doesn't Work?

It might not, at first. AI outputs require editing. Prompts need refining. Some tasks work better than others.

That's normal. The goal isn't perfection from day one. The goal is to find places where AI gives you a meaningful boost, even if it's just getting you 60% of the way there faster.

The Bottom Line

AI doesn't have to be overwhelming. You don't need to understand everything or use every tool.

Ask yourself: where would better skills help? Start there. One problem, one tool, one experiment at a time.

The businesses that benefit most from AI aren't the most technologically sophisticated. They're the ones that clearly understand their problems and are willing to try new solutions.