Start with the workflow, not the model
The most successful AI features start from a specific, well-understood workflow bottleneck — not from 'we should add AI somewhere.' The workflow defines the requirements; the model is just an implementation detail.
Good fits: judgment-assisting, not judgment-replacing
AI performs best in business software when it assists a human decision — surfacing relevant information, drafting a first pass, flagging anomalies — rather than making final decisions autonomously in high-stakes contexts.
Where it adds risk
Workflows with strict compliance requirements, low tolerance for error, or where explainability is required deserve extra scrutiny before introducing AI-driven automation.
The takeaway
Treat AI as a tool matched to specific workflow problems, not a feature to add uniformly across a product. The best AI features are often the least visible ones.
