Jun 8 (edited) • General discussion
Pick the AI task with the smallest blast radius
Most people pick their first AI task the wrong way.
They pick the thing that looks most impressive.
“Let AI answer customer emails.”
“Let AI run follow-up.”
“Let AI make decisions from my notes.”
That can work later.
But it is usually the wrong first move.
Your first AI task should be boring, repeated, and easy to check.
Use this simple rule:
Pick by reversibility, not excitement.
Ask:
If AI gets this wrong, can I catch it before it reaches a customer, employee, vendor, or bank account?
If yes, it may be a good first test.
If no, shrink the task.
Here is the best example.
Bad first task:
Let AI answer customer emails automatically.
Why it is risky:
- the customer sees it first
- it can make promises
- it can miss context
- it can get the tone wrong
- the mistake is hard to pull back
Better first task:
Let AI draft customer email replies for a human to review.
Same workflow.
Much lower risk.
The AI helps with the blank page.
The human still owns the promise.
Use this test card:
Workflow:
Input I already have:
Output I want:
Who reviews it before use:
What could go wrong if AI is wrong:
How I will test it safely:
Keep / adjust / discard decision:
Example:
Workflow: Draft replies to customer support emails.
Input I already have: The customer email, our FAQ, our tone rules, our refund policy.
Output I want: A suggested reply and a list of anything AI is unsure about.
Who reviews it before use: Me.
What could go wrong: It promises a refund we do not give, or sounds too cold.
How I will test it: Run it on five old emails I already answered. Compare the drafts to what I actually sent. Send nothing.
That is a safe first test.
You do not need a new tool yet.
You do not need a giant automation build.
You need one small workflow that is safe to test.
Your action:
Pick one repeated task this week.
Run it through the card.
If you want help, make a new post with your Workflow Test Card.
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Pick the AI task with the smallest blast radius