Choosing the Right AI Technology: When and Where to Implement Automation

AI is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s a practical tool that can solve many of our most annoying operational challenges. But with so many technologies available and business needs varying widely, the question isn’t if you should adopt AI. It’s where and how to do it effectively.

Firms tend to make two major mistakes when moving towards AI implementation:

1. First, they expect AI to do more than it should. AI is not a way to replace human jobs, but to enhance the execution of those jobs. It removes those manual, burdensome tasks that weigh down the workforce, freeing them up to focus on more rewarding, strategic projects.
   
   
2. The second mistake is not taking the time to identify those tasks. AI makes the biggest impact in processes that are knowledge intensive and repetitive, like coding invoices in accounts payable. It’s not meant to work well in every process in every department, and expecting it to do so will only lead to disappointment (side note: if any AI company tells you that their solution “does it all,” it almost definitely does nothing very well). Taking the time to identify the tasks and departments within an organization that can be most helped by AI will ultimately help ensure that the implementation is a success.

Selecting the right AI technology starts with clearly understanding your organization’s specific pain points. From there, you can identify the best-fit solution that aligns with your goals, integrates with your systems, and delivers lasting value.

Step 1: Identify Where AI Is Needed

AI is best suited for processes that are:

• Repetitive and rules-based
• Data-heavy
• Time-consuming or error-prone
• Hard to scale manually

Again, take accounts payable as an example. It’s a prime candidate for AI because it involves high volumes of repetitive data entry, invoice coding, and validation tasks. AI can step in to automate these functions, learn from historical data, and free up human resources for more strategic work.

But AP isn’t the only area where AI can help. Consider departments like marketing (personalization and reporting), property management (lease abstraction, maintenance triage), or finance (quarterly reports, forecasting). Any function dealing with structured data and recurring tasks may benefit from automation and intelligent analysis.

Step 2: Define the Problem You’re Solving

Before evaluating AI tools, take time to define your specific business challenge. This clarity ensures that you select a technology that directly addresses your needs rather than getting distracted by trendy features.

Ask yourself:

• What’s the bottleneck in this workflow?
• Are we experiencing avoidable delays or errors?
• Is our current process scalable as we grow?
• What tasks are eating up valuable employee time?

For instance, if your team is spending hours each week manually coding invoices from dozens of vendors, the right AI tool should automate that process while also enhancing reporting and analytics. This not only eliminates tedious tasks, but provides valuable insights into the company’s financial performance at the same time. 

Step 3: Evaluate Your Existing Tech Stack

A great AI tool should fit into your environment, not require you to reinvent it.

• Integration is key. Look for tools that work with your current software platforms, like ERP systems or property management solutions.
• Security and compliance matter. Especially for sensitive data, ensure any AI solution meets your security standards and is built for long-term use.
• Scalability is essential. Your AI investment should grow with you, not become obsolete as your business evolves.

Assess your current systems for compatibility and readiness. If your infrastructure isn’t modern enough to support AI adoption, that might be the first thing to address.

Step 4: Plan for Implementation and Ongoing Review

AI isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool. To ensure continued success, organizations should:

• Align implementation with growth goals. Choose a solution that solves today’s challenges and positions you for future efficiency.
• Establish a review process. Regularly assess how the tool is performing, identify new opportunities for optimization, and adapt as needed.
• Empower your team. Train your staff on how to use the AI tool effectively, and make sure they understand how it supports—not replaces—their work.

Start with a Use Case, Then Expand

Starting with a clear use case, like automating AP, allows your team to test and refine your AI strategy before expanding it to other areas of the business. Once you’ve seen what works, it becomes easier to scale AI to other functions where efficiency and data accuracy are priorities.

Choosing the right AI technology isn’t just about following trends—it’s about solving the right problems, in the right way, with the right tools. With a strategic approach, AI becomes more than a buzzword; it becomes a catalyst for meaningful, scalable growth.