Should I use AI for this task? The two-minute test

Should I use AI for this task? It is a question many small and medium businesses are now asking. This quick test helps you decide whether AI could support the task, whether a repeatable process could be automated, or whether it is better kept in human hands. 

We’ve all seen, and heard, what AI can do. From cinematic masterpieces to automated daily routines, its capabilities seem almost boundless. But beyond making oil paintings of our pets, what genuinely valuable tasks can AI do for small businesses? And how do we decide which tasks need AI, and which don’t? These questions don’t have to be difficult. We’ve developed this quick test to make the decisions quicker and easier. There’s no need to be an expert on AI, and no need to spend ages working things out. Just three yes/no questions designed to help you decide when to use AI and when not to:

Q1: Does this same task come back again and again?
              No: See Result A
              Yes: Go to Q2

Q2: Are the steps different each time?
              No: See Result B
              Yes: Go to Q3

Q3: Does assessing the result need significant judgement?
              No: See Result C
              Yes: See Result D

Once put through these questions, your task will usually fall into one of four buckets.

Imagine a marketing manager at an estate agency. She’s been asked to write a blog about the latest trends and insights in the buy-to-let market. It’s a one-off task, but getting insights, statistics and ideas can be a real time sapper. This is an ideal job for prompting AI. A smartly worded question could give her topic ideas and links to information to help cut the time it takes to get the job done. It might even create a few snappy headline ideas for her. 

Every small business owner will have a repetitive task that drains their time. Let’s use our estate agency as an example again. Picture Iain, the branch manager. Every Monday morning he arrives to an inbox full of enquiries from online platforms like Rightmove or Yopa. And every Monday morning, he has to read, sort, and assign an agent to respond. This is where automation would be a real time saver. He could set up a weekly routine using AI to summarise the email contents, separate by area or property type, and forward instructions to the relevant agent. Suddenly, a task that takes up most of his Monday morning is done for him automatically. It’s worth noting here that automations that read, sort or send email need an AI tool your business has approved, with access to your business email account. This usually means a paid business version of the tool. To choose and approve tools safely, read Practical AI guardrails for small and medium businesses in the UK

There may be some tasks that are regular, but require different responses each time. For example, Kelly, the owner of our imaginary estate agency, is often on the go. That means she sometimes misses phone calls. Maybe, while she’s showing one client around a commercial property, another calls her looking to list a flat. A generic automated response could work, but there are more intelligent options available. This is where a solution such as BT AI Receptionist can help. Instead of an automated text or answerphone, the customer is connected to a friendly, natural voice that can quickly check availability, book appointments, and even send confirmation emails. So Kelly doesn’t miss out on a potential customer. It’s like having a receptionist that never takes a day off.

Not every task is suitable for AI. If you have to spend a long time double checking or analysing the results, it’s best to use your own judgement. For example, if you’re hiring for a senior position, AI might be able to screen or summarise CVs for you. But ultimately, it’s only through meeting the person and discussing them with your colleagues that you can truly evaluate if they’re right for the job. These are the areas your expertise is more important than the speed or simplicity of AI.