I’ve found that the real failure point is whether the team can explain what decision would actually change if the system worked. If no concrete action shifts, adding AI just adds complexity without leverage.
Strongly agree. In my experience, asking “what concrete action changes if this works?” filters out most premature AI ideas. If no one can point to a changed decision, AI just adds cost and complexity without leverage.
When the answer is vague (“better insights”, “faster responses”), AI tends to add surface polish without leverage. The projects that stick usually start with a very boring question: what specific action will someone take differently tomorrow?