Where AI belongs in a business workflow

A useful AI project starts with work people already understand. Reading an incoming document, finding information in a knowledge base, or preparing a first summary are clearer starting points than adding a chatbot without a defined purpose.

Pick one task and describe the input and expected output. For document extraction, list the fields needed and show examples of different document layouts. For search, decide which sources the answer should use. For summaries, explain what the reader needs to decide next.

Design the review step at the same time as the automation. A person should be able to see the source, correct a result, and know whether the output has been accepted. Business records and decisions need a clear path beyond a generated response.

Consider access before connecting information. The system should respect who is allowed to view a record, which service processes it, and how long the input and output are retained. These choices belong in the project scope.

Test with examples from the real workflow, including unclear inputs and missing information. Observe the time needed for both processing and review. Then decide whether to expand the feature, change the task, or keep the simpler approach.