You find out whether an AI tool works the same way you find out anything in business: you test it against a baseline, on your own work, and measure the result. Vendor demos, ratings and case studies are marketing until you have proof on your task. The good news is the test is quick and cheap.
The test that actually tells you
- Pick one real task the tool claims to help with
- Record the baseline - current time, cost and error rate
- Run a short trial with your own data, not the demo's
- Measure like-for-like against the baseline
- Decide on evidence - keep, drop or expand
A tool that cannot beat your current way of working on a fair test does not work for you, whatever its reviews say.
Signs a tool is genuinely useful
- It saves measurable time or cost on a task you actually do
- Its errors are catchable by a human before they cause harm
- It fits your workflow rather than demanding you rebuild around it
- Your data stays safe and portable
These overlap with the questions to ask before buying AI tools - evaluation and purchase are two halves of the same discipline.
Beware the demo effect
Demos are tuned to look flawless. Insist on trialling the messy, real version, and treat anyone who resists that as a warning sign.
The bottom line
An AI tool "works" only if it beats your baseline on your own task - everything else is marketing. Learning to run that evidence test is a core skill in the Strategic Application of AI in Business course at London School of Business UK. Enquire today.