There’s a childhood memory that now seems oddly relevant to how businesses approach AI.
My brother and I were exploring the woods with our BB guns, looking for targets. We came across a fallen tree trunk, its rings exposed where it had been cut. My brother pointed at a dark spot among the rings and asked if I could hit it. I took aim, fired… and shot the tip of his finger. While he was pointing at the target, his finger had become the target from my perspective. (Well, it WAS where he was pointing…)
He wasn’t badly hurt, but the “accident” taught me something important: clear communication prevents painful mistakes, even when both parties think they’re on the same page.
The AI Implementation Parallel
This childhood memory mirrors what we often see when businesses dive into AI implementation. A business leader says, “We need to hit that target” while pointing at a specific goal. The technical team focuses on exactly where they’re pointing, but sometimes misses the bigger picture that the boss actually had in mind.
Or an executive might say, “We need AI to boost our customer service,” pointing at chatbots as the solution. The technical team diligently builds a sophisticated chatbot that handles basic inquiries beautifully. Yet three months later, everyone’s frustrated because what the business actually needed was to reduce call center wait times and improve customer satisfaction scores, targets that might have been better addressed through different AI applications.
Looking Beyond Where You’re Pointing
When businesses approach AI with a predetermined solution in mind (“we need a chatbot,” “we need predictive analytics”), they often miss more valuable opportunities lurking just outside their direct line of sight.
Maybe your customer service challenges would be better addressed by implementing AI-driven routing that directs customers to the right department faster. Perhaps your inventory issues need forecasting tools more than they need automated reordering systems.
The finger pointing at the target isn’t always what needs attention; sometimes it’s understanding the broader goal behind that specific target.
The Value of an Experienced Guide
This is where having a seasoned AI partner becomes invaluable. Like an experienced shooting instructor who might have told a younger me, “Make sure you’ve got a clear shot before pulling the trigger,” AI consultants bring perspective that prevents costly misalignments.
A good AI partner doesn’t just implement what you’re pointing at. They help you:
- Explore the entire tree trunk before deciding which ring to target
- Identify which AI solutions will deliver the most immediate business value
- Start with manageable projects that build organizational confidence
- Avoid the “finger wounds” of misaligned expectations and technical complications
First Projects: Choose Wisely
Your first AI implementations set the tone for your organization’s entire AI journey. Choose poorly, and like my brother’s sore finger, you’ll create skepticism and resistance.
We’ve seen companies transform their operations through AI, but the most successful ones rarely started with their most ambitious projects. Instead, they began with focused applications that:
- Solved a specific, measurable business challenge
- Demonstrated clear ROI within months, not years
- Built internal expertise and confidence
- Laid foundations for more complex implementations
Hitting the Right Target
The most valuable AI application may not be what initially catches your attention. The right consulting partner won’t just take aim where you’re pointing. Instead, they’ll help you identify which targets will create the most significant business impact with the least risk.
So before you pull the trigger on your next AI initiative, make sure everyone is looking at the same target, and that it’s truly the bull’s-eye your business needs to hit. Your fingers (and your budget) will thank you.
