Practical AI for Business: What I Learned, What Surprised Me and What I Got Wrong

My experience of Alan Giles’ Practical AI for Business Founders course

Before taking Alan Giles’ Practical AI for Business Founders course, I thought I had a reasonable understanding of artificial intelligence. Like many people, I had experimented with tools such as ChatGPT and could see their potential for answering questions, generating ideas and helping with written content.

I knew AI was becoming increasingly important, but I had not fully appreciated how widely it could be used or how much difference a better understanding of the technology could make to everyday working life.

I am not a business founder or a technical specialist. I approached the course as an individual who wanted to understand more about a technology that is rapidly becoming part of our lives, both at work and beyond.

What I discovered was that AI is not just for large companies with substantial budgets and dedicated technology teams. Used thoughtfully, it can help businesses of all sizes and people working in almost any role.

More importantly, I began to understand the difference between what AI can do, what it cannot do and what we should never take for granted.

AI is not magic, and it is not always right

One of the most useful lessons was developing a more realistic understanding of AI.

There is so much hype surrounding artificial intelligence that it can be easy to think of it as something almost human, capable of independent thought and judgement. In reality, generative AI works by identifying patterns and generating responses based on what it has learned.

The distinction matters because a convincing answer is not necessarily a correct one.

AI can misunderstand a question, make incorrect assumptions or produce information that is entirely false, sometimes with impressive confidence. These errors, often called hallucinations, are a reminder that human oversight remains essential.

I had not fully appreciated how easy it is to trust an answer simply because it is well written and sounds authoritative. AI does not always recognise when it is wrong.

Checking information, making decisions and taking responsibility for the outcome remain our job.

Asking better questions gets better results

I had previously thought of AI largely in terms of asking a question and receiving an answer. The course helped me understand why the way we frame a task makes such a difference.

The clearer the instructions, the more useful the response is likely to be. AI needs context, an understanding of the intended audience, the purpose of the task and, where relevant, the tone and format required.

Asking it to write a business blog is very different from explaining who the blog is for, what it needs to achieve and what the finished piece should sound like.

It also made me realise that using AI effectively requires us to understand what we want to achieve in the first place. The technology can help us get there, but it cannot replace clear thinking about the objective.

It is about working smarter, not replacing people

One of my biggest takeaways was the potential for AI to reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks.

Most of us have work that needs doing but does not necessarily make the best use of our time. This might include preparing routine documents, organising information, drafting communications, researching a topic or producing initial marketing content.

AI can help with many of these tasks, freeing up time for activities that need human experience, creativity, judgement and personal interaction.

For example, it could turn a lengthy report or webinar into draft social media posts, help organise customer enquiries or produce a first draft of a document. A person can then check the details, add their expertise and ensure the result reflects the organisation's needs and values.

This could be particularly valuable for smaller businesses, where the same people often juggle marketing, administration, customer service and operational responsibilities. The time saved can be used more effectively.

Of course, AI will change the way some jobs are done, and businesses need to consider that honestly. But there are also opportunities to support people, improve working practices and allow employees to concentrate on the areas where they add the greatest value.

Choosing the right tools matters

I had tended to think of AI tools as different versions of essentially the same thing. I now have a better appreciation of how their capabilities, features and integrations can vary.

There is no single tool that is necessarily right for every task. The important thing is to understand what you need to achieve and choose accordingly.

For businesses, this means starting with the problem rather than the technology. Where are the bottlenecks? Which activities consume too much time? Where could information be processed more efficiently or decisions supported more effectively?

Only then does it make sense to consider which tools might help.

I also became more aware of the potential for AI to move beyond answering individual questions towards carrying out sequences of tasks. This opens up possibilities for automating more complex processes, although it also makes testing, clear boundaries and appropriate supervision increasingly important.

The technology is developing quickly, but businesses do not need to adopt every new development. Being selective is just as important as being informed.

Get the process right before introducing AI

Another lesson that stood out was that automating a poor process will not make it a good one.

Before introducing AI, it is worth understanding how a task is currently completed. Are there unnecessary steps? Is the process consistent? Where is human judgement needed?

If a process is complicated or poorly understood, introducing automation may simply reproduce the same problems more quickly.

A better approach is to review the process first, make improvements where possible and then identify which elements AI could support.

Starting small also makes sense, rather than attempting to transform an entire business at once. Establishing what works and measuring results before rolling out a new system company-wide allows problems to be identified early and gives people the opportunity to build confidence with the technology.

The risks should not be overlooked

For all its potential benefits, AI needs to be used responsibly.

Confidentiality, data protection and security are particularly important when dealing with customer information or commercially sensitive material. Businesses need to understand how the tools they use handle information and ensure they meet their legal and regulatory obligations.

There is also the question of cost. Saving time is valuable, but implementation, subscriptions, staff training and ongoing maintenance all need to be considered.

The benefits should be measured against the investment, including what the business can achieve with the time released. Better customer service, improved sales activity and more time for business development may be just as important as straightforward cost savings.

Successful implementation is about people and processes as much as technology.

What I thought I knew, and what I would do differently

Looking back, I would not say that everything I believed about AI was wrong. I already understood that it could be useful and had seen examples of what it could produce.

What I had underestimated was the importance of using it strategically.

I had not fully appreciated how much the quality of the instructions affects the outcome, how important it is to verify the results or how many routine tasks could benefit from carefully considered automation.

I had also not thought enough about the difference between using AI occasionally as an assistant and incorporating it into a well-designed working process.

The course helped me see that using AI does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision. You do not need to hand over an entire business function to an automated system or invest in a complicated platform to begin benefiting from it. Sometimes, the most useful starting point is a small improvement to an everyday task.

Equally, there is no need to feel intimidated by the technology. You do not have to be a programmer or understand every technical detail to make sensible use of AI. You do, however, need to understand what you are asking it to do, recognise its limitations and apply your own judgement.

Practical knowledge matters more than the hype

Alan Giles’ Practical AI for Business Founders gave me a clearer understanding of how AI can be used in practice, both in business and in everyday working life.

Although the course is aimed at founders, CEOs and other business leaders, I found the lessons relevant well beyond that audience. Anyone who spends time dealing with information, communication, administration or repetitive tasks can benefit from understanding where AI might help.

My biggest takeaway is that AI is neither a magic solution nor something to fear. It is a tool, and its value depends on how well it is chosen and used.

It can save time, support creativity and improve efficiency. It can also make mistakes, misunderstand instructions and produce answers that sound convincing but are wrong. The skill lies in understanding both sides and knowing when human judgement needs to take over.

The question I now find more useful is not simply, “What can AI do?” but, “Where could AI make a useful difference to the way I work?”

That is a practical starting point, whether you run a business, lead a team or simply want to make better use of your own time.

AI will continue to evolve, and keeping up with every new development would be a full-time job in itself. What matters is remaining curious, questioning the hype and being willing to learn.

Above all, I came away with a better understanding of how to use AI thoughtfully, rather than simply experimenting with it.

Curious about what AI could do for your business?

Alan Giles’ Practical AI for Business Founders is designed to help business leaders move beyond the hype and understand how to put AI to practical use.

Find out more about the course and explore how you could apply AI to your own business: Discover 'Practical AI for Business Founders' - https://founder-ai-hub.replit.app/