Most people start with AI by asking the wrong question: “Which AI tool should we use?” The better question is: “Where does AI create value in my organisation?” In this episode, from last week’s free webinar, I break down the four-area opportunity scan and explain why picking your biggest pain point beats chasing the shiniest tech every time.
The Four-Area Opportunity Scan
When we ran this exercise in my own business in January, I got my team involved because they see the problems I don’t. Here’s the framework I use:
1. Productivity
Look at your repeatable manual tasks department by department. This could be drafting meeting notes, recording actions, summarising long documents, creating FAQ responses, formatting reports, or interrogating large datasets. If you have standard operating procedures, pull them out. If you don’t, this is your chance to create them—they’re essential for training AI models too.
2. Content
We’re all in the business of creating content. Whether it’s social posts, reports, or internal communications, AI can help you scale what you’re already doing well.
3. Insight
Your organisation already has data. Some of your existing software probably does analysis already—your accounting software reconciles invoices, tracks profit and loss, manages bank accounts. But here’s the thing: check where you’re paying for expensive licenses. In Kilkenny yesterday, a manager had an aha moment when they realised they were paying a fortune for a tool that reads legislation. You could build an agent for that.
4. Service
How can you improve what you deliver to customers, stakeholders, or citizens? A chatbot on your website doesn’t just field queries—it gives you invaluable insight into what people actually want to know. People might not fill out a form, but they’ll engage with a chatbot.
Bonus Area: What We’ve Always Wanted to Do
What have you wanted to do but couldn’t because of money, capability, or capacity? Maybe throw one of those into your opportunity map.
Four Mistakes Nearly Everyone Makes
1. Buying Tools Before Defining Outcomes
Things change daily. Two weeks ago I was telling clients that Microsoft integrated Claude. Now Microsoft has pulled back because they’re worried their engineers are training a competitor. Right now Gemma from Google is probably at the top of the pile. Ask YouTube just launched—the assistant searches for the timestamp of the right video to help you learn what you need. Stay tool-agnostic when you can.
2. Banning AI Outright
If this is still happening in your organisation, let me tell you: your staff are already using AI tools. Some colleagues might be building agents you don’t even know about. You need transparent conversations and a policy in place. It’s priority number one. Shadow AI is dangerous—people using tools without knowing if they’re allowed.
3. Leaving It to IT
IT people are important and they’re also learning, but they don’t understand the needs of every department. Why would they be responsible for leading this? They don’t see the problem-solution that people doing the work see. This is collaborative. IT should be there because they understand what can be turned on or off and where data goes. Your data protection officer should be involved too.
4. Pilot Purgatory
I see pilots that go nowhere. No decision made on outcomes. No scalability. Set success metrics and a succession plan. What happens after the pilot is done? Where are we going next?
Build literacy, build use cases, scale, invest in technology, and govern as you go. Pick the pain points, not the shiny objects.
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Sources
Webinar Replay: https://webinarkit.com/replay/6a197f3a80561b683414ca48
About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
