AI Leadership Operations / 04Pro

Where in this process does AI actually help?

Rank four process steps by net lift after rework risk — hedged by your situation. Insert at the top one or two.

About this tool

About this modeler

AI rarely belongs at every step of a workflow — usually one or two steps drive almost all of the lift. This modeler ranks up to four process steps by net AI lift after rework risk, so you integrate AI where the math says it pays back and leave the rest alone. Use it when redesigning a process, scoping an AI build, or arguing against an over-engineered AI plan.

When to use it

  • Scoping an AI build before engineering starts
  • Redesigning a knowledge-work process
  • Cutting an over-engineered AI plan back to what pays

Related tools

Blast radius

Reversibility

Sensitivity

Novelty

Who owns it

Owner seniority

Your numbers

The process

Volume, cost, and what a mistake costs.

Step 1

Time, error rate, and how well AI fits this step.
How well AI fits this stepAI fit

Step 2

Time, error rate, and how well AI fits this step.
How well AI fits this stepAI fit

Step 3

Time, error rate, and how well AI fits this step.
How well AI fits this stepAI fit

Step 4

Time, error rate, and how well AI fits this step.
How well AI fits this stepAI fit

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$154,440

Integrate AI at Step 4 + Step 1 only. That's about $154.4K a year of net lift after rework risk.

Insert at Step 4 + Step 1 · $154.4K/yr

Annual lift: cautious / top-2 / all positive steps

Pessimistic
$65,146
Realistic
$154,440
Optimistic
$196,872
Show the mathAnnual net lift from top integrations
Step 1 · high fit · net/wk$882
Step 2 · med fit · net/wk$816
Step 3 · low fit · net/wk-$0
Step 4 · high fit · net/wk$2,088
End-to-end · weekly cost$13,368
Process savings rate22.2%

Do this next

  1. 01

    Pilot AI at Step 4 (high fit) for 8 weeks.

    Owner · the process owner
  2. 02

    Then add AI at Step 1 (high fit) for 8 weeks.

    Owner · the process owner
  3. 03

    Hold the rest of the steps as-is until you've measured the first integration.

    Owner · the process owner
  4. 04

    Re-rate fit + error rates after 8 weeks before expanding further.

    Owner · the process owner

Want this as a plan?

Turn this decision into a sequenced four-week rollout — steps, owners, and the signal that tells you each one landed. Built against your situation, not a template.

Uses 3 AI credits

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Why this answerBaseline read

4-step process running 80 times/week. End-to-end loaded cost: $13.4K/wk.

Ranking each step by net weekly lift after rework risk (hedged 1.3× by your situation): Step 4 $2,088 · Step 1 $882 · Step 2 $816 · Step 3 -$0.

Integrate AI at Step 4 + Step 1 only. Annual net lift: $154.4K (22.2% of end-to-end).

Rule: don't AI-ify all four. Insert, measure 8 weeks, then expand.

Suggested process
  1. 01

    Integrate AI at Step 4 (high fit)

    Owner · the process owner

    Net lift $2,088/wk after 1.3× rework hedge from situation.

  2. 02

    Then integrate AI at Step 1 (high fit)

    Owner · the process owner

    Net lift $882/wk after 1.3× rework hedge from situation.

  3. 03

    Hold the rest of the steps as-is for 8 weeks

    Owner · the process owner

    AI-ifying everything multiplies failure modes. Insert, measure, then expand.

  4. 04

    Re-rate fit + error rates after 8 weeks

    Owner · the process owner

    Steps that failed because of context (not the model) may move to high-fit later.

How to defend itTalking points + export
  • 80 runs/wk × 4 steps; end-to-end $13.4K/wk loaded.
  • Step ranks (net weekly lift): Step 4 $2,088 · Step 1 $882 · Step 2 $816 · Step 3 -$0.
  • Top integration: Step 4 (high fit). Lift factor 55% of step time.
  • Annual net lift from top 1–2 integrations: $154.4K (22.2% of end-to-end).
  • Situation: blast: med · rev: costly · sens: routine · nov: trodden · owner: mid · reviewers: 1 (rework ×1.25).