Is your business actually ready for AI?

Think about customer data, financials, operations, marketing metrics.

• Scattered across spreadsheets and personal drives
• Mostly in one system but with gaps
• Centralized in a CRM/ERP with some manual processes
• Fully integrated systems with automated data flows

Consider whether AI goals are documented and tied to outcomes.

• No — we have not thought about AI strategy
• We have discussed it informally but nothing is documented
• We have a written strategy but it is not actively managed
• We have a clear AI strategy tied to business KPIs with regular reviews

Consider both technical and non-technical team members.

• Most people do not understand what AI can do
• A few people use AI tools (ChatGPT, etc.) informally
• Multiple team members actively use AI in their workflows
• Team-wide AI fluency with dedicated training and experimentation time

Include any automation, chatbots, analytics, or AI-powered SaaS.

• None — all processes are manual or traditional software
• Basic automation (email sequences, simple chatbots)
• Several AI-powered tools for specific functions (marketing, support)
• Comprehensive AI tool stack integrated across departments

AI works best when it can follow defined workflows. Think SOPs, playbooks, decision trees.

• Most processes live in people's heads
• Key processes are documented but rarely updated
• Most processes are documented with regular reviews
• Comprehensive process library with version control and ownership

Clean, consistent data is the foundation of effective AI. Consider duplicates, missing fields, formatting.

• Our data is messy — lots of duplicates, gaps, and inconsistencies
• Some data is clean but much of it needs work
• Most data is reliable with occasional quality issues
• We have data governance practices and high confidence in data quality

AI initiatives need leadership commitment for budget, resources, and change management.

• Leadership is skeptical or unaware of AI potential
• Some interest but no budget or resources allocated
• Executive sponsor identified with some budget allocated
• Strong executive champion with dedicated budget and resources

AI adoption requires willingness to change workflows and learn new tools.

• Resistant — new tools are usually met with pushback
• Cautious — open to change but need significant support
• Adaptable — generally willing to try new approaches
• Enthusiastic — team actively seeks out new tools and methods