Is Your Business Ready for AI? A Simple Test
A study of 1,000 UK small businesses found most have no AI plan. They are enthusiastic. They are experimenting. But they have no strategy.
This is not a technical problem. It is a leadership problem.
A training provider compiled data from over 1,000 AI sessions delivered across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Great Britain. The findings are stark.
The majority of businesses had no formal AI policy when they started training. Most were using tools like ChatGPT in an ad-hoc way. Individual staff members are experimenting. No guidelines. No oversight.
This matters because the costs are real.
I have seen businesses paste confidential client data into ChatGPT without understanding the privacy risk. I have seen them publish AI content riddled with errors because no one reviewed it. I have seen them buy tools that do not connect to anything because they skipped the planning step.
Being ready for AI is not about having the latest tools. It is about knowing how to use them safely and with purpose.
The 5-Point AI Readiness Test
Answer yes or no to each question.
Do you have a formal AI policy that defines acceptable use?
Do you know what AI tools your staff are using right now?
Have you identified specific business problems AI could solve?
Do you have a process for reviewing AI content before it reaches customers?
Have you assessed how AI affects your search visibility and digital marketing?
What Your Score Tells You
If you answered no to question one, draft a basic AI policy this week. It does not need to be long. One page is enough. Define what is allowed, what is not, and who approves new tools.
If you answered no to question two, survey your team. Ask them directly. You will be surprised by what they are using. This is not about catching people out. It is about understanding what is happening in your business.
If you answered no to question three, pick one repetitive task. Just one. Find an AI tool that could help. Test it for a week. See what happens.
If you answered no to question four, implement a review step. A human reviews every piece of AI content before it is released. No exceptions.
If you answered no to question five, research Generative Engine Optimisation. Search is changing. AI is changing how people find businesses online. You need to know how this affects you.
The First Step
Do not try to fix everything at once. Pick the lowest score. Start there.
AI readiness is not about perfection. It is about progress. One policy. One survey. One review process. That is how you build a foundation.
Here’s what works: small, precise steps taken consistently.
Sources: ProfileTree AI Training Data 2024, EIN Presswire, National Law Review