5 AI quick wins every business leader can implement this week

Introduction: Why quick wins matter

In the race to adopt AI, many business leaders feel overwhelmed by complex implementation challenges and technical requirements.

But AI adoption doesn't have to start with massive infrastructure projects or specialised teams.

The most successful AI implementations often begin with small, targeted applications that deliver immediate value.

These "quick wins" serve three critical purposes:

1. They demonstrate tangible value quickly, building organisational buy-in

2. They help teams develop practical AI skills in low-risk contexts

3. They generate momentum that supports broader AI initiatives

In this article, we'll explore five AI quick wins that any business leader can implement this week - regardless of technical background or team size.

Quick Win #1: Meeting summarisation & action tracking

The problem

The average UK office worker spends 10-12 hours per week in meetings (and, as a Product Manager, it has typically been closer to double that for me), with critical details and action items often lost in hastily taken notes or forgotten entirely.

The AI solution

Implement an end-to-end AI meeting assistant that handles transcription, summarisation, action item tracking, and follow-up automatically.

Implementation steps

1. Pick an AI-powered meeting transcription tool - Teams, Zoom or one of the many other available options (fathom.video, otter.ai, read.ai, fireflies.ai, granola.ai are all excellent). This step will require the appropriate setup, in line with your company's IT policies and tool stack.

2. Connect it to your calendar and video conferencing platform

3. Enable automatic meeting joining and recording (always check with participants that they are happy to be recorded)

4. Customise your summary preferences and action item tracking

5. Set up automatic distribution of meeting notes to participants

Expected outcomes

• 90% reduction in manual note-taking and follow-up tasks

• Improved accountability with automated action item tracking

• Searchable meeting archive for knowledge management

• Better meeting habits and productivity with AI-generated insights

Quick Win #2: Email response drafting

The problem

Business leaders spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on email, with most responses following predictable patterns.

The AI solution

Use AI to draft responses to routine emails, which you can then review and personalize.

Implementation steps

1. Install an AI email assistant like Compose AI or use Gmail's Smart Compose

2. For more customised responses, copy the email into ChatGPT with this prompt, which applies the "CRISP" framework:

   CONTEXT: I'm responding to an email from [sender name/role] regarding [brief topic description]. This is a [priority level] message that requires [type of response needed].

   ROLE: I am a [your position] responsible for [your area of expertise/responsibility]. My goal is to provide a clear, helpful response that addresses all questions while maintaining our professional relationship.

   INSTRUCTIONS: Draft a professional email response that:

   1. Addresses all questions in the original email
   2. Maintains a friendly but authoritative tone
   3. Provides clear next steps or actions where appropriate
   4. Keeps the response concise and to the point
   5. Includes any necessary context or background information

   STEPS:

   1. Begin with an appropriate greeting
   2. Acknowledge receipt and thank them for their message
   3. Address each question or point in a logical order
   4. Provide clear answers, information, or decisions
   5. Outline any next steps or expectations
   6. Close with a professional sign-off

   PARAMETERS:

   - Length: Keep response under [250] words
   - Tone: Friendly but authoritative
   - Format: Clear paragraphs with bullet points for any lists
   - Sign off with: [Your preferred closing]

3. Review the AI-generated draft, make any necessary adjustments, and send

Expected outcomes

• 40-60% reduction in email composition time

• More consistent communication style

• Faster response times to stakeholders

Quick win #3: Competitive intelligence monitoring

The problem

Staying updated on competitors' moves requires hours of manual research across multiple sources.

The AI solution

Use Perplexity AI to actively search, monitor, and summarize competitor activities from current web sources.

Implementation steps

1. Create a free Perplexity account (or use Pro for more features)

2. Create a collection titled "Competitor Intelligence"

3. Set up a weekly recurring query like: "Provide the latest news, product updates, and market positioning changes for [Competitor A], [Competitor B], and [Competitor C] in the [your industry] industry from the past week"

4. Use follow-up queries to drill deeper into specific announcements

5. Schedule 20 minutes weekly to review insights and share a summary with your team

Perplexity:

• Actively searches the current web for real-time information

• Cites its sources so you can verify information

• Can follow complex queries about multiple competitors

• Requires minimal setup compared to specialised tools

Expected outcomes

• 80% reduction in competitive research time

• Real-time awareness of competitor moves using current web data

• Comprehensive coverage across news, social media, and company announcements

• Data-driven strategic decision making

Quick win #4: Document analysis and insight extraction

The problem

Long reports, contracts, and industry publications contain valuable insights but require hours to read and analyse.

The AI solution

Use AI to extract key information, summarise documents, and identify actionable insights.

Implementation steps

1. Select a lengthy document you need to review (report, contract, whitepaper)

2. Upload it to ChatGPT (if using Plus) or copy sections into the interface

3. Use this prompt: "Summarise this document in 500 words, highlight the 3 most important points, identify any risks or opportunities, and suggest 2-3 specific actions based on this information."

4. BONUS POINTS: Visit Google NotebookLM, create a free account and upload your article. Then generate a short audio summary (in the form of an interactive podcast, a video explainer video, summary notes and other things).

Expected outcomes

• 75% reduction in document review time

• Improved information retention and application

• Faster decision-making based on comprehensive document analysis

Quick Win #5: Content repurposing

The problem

Creating consistent, multi-channel content requires significant time and creative resources.

The AI solution

Use AI to repurpose existing content into multiple formats for different channels.

Implementation steps

1. Select a high-performing piece of content (presentation, article, video transcript)

2. Use ChatGPT with this prompt:
   
   CONTEXT: I have [type of content: article/presentation/video transcript] about [topic] that is [length/format details]. This content was originally created for [original audience/channel] and contains [key points/themes]. I want to maximise its reach by repurposing it across multiple channels while maintaining consistent messaging.

   ROLE: You are an expert content strategist who specialises in cross-channel content optimisation. Your goal is to transform my existing content into multiple formats that maintain the core message while optimising for different platforms and audience engagement styles.

   INSTRUCTIONS: Transform this content into:

   1. 5 social media posts with platform-specific formatting and relevant hashtags
   2. A concise email newsletter with compelling subject line and clear CTA
   3. 10 discussion questions that can spark meaningful conversation in team meetings

   STEPS:

   1. Analyze the core message and key points of the original content
   2. Extract the most valuable insights and compelling data points
   3. For social media posts:
   - Create platform-specific versions (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
   - Include attention-grabbing hooks and relevant hashtags
   - Vary post lengths and formats (question posts, stat posts, quote posts)
   4. For the email newsletter:
   - Craft an engaging subject line with high open-rate potential
   - Structure with clear sections and scannable formatting
   - End with a specific, compelling call-to-action
   5. For discussion questions:
   - Create a mix of strategic and tactical questions
   - Include both reflection questions and action-oriented questions
   - Ensure questions build upon each other for a natural conversation flow

   PARAMETERS:

   - Maintain brand voice: [professional/conversational/authoritative/etc.]
   - Target audience: [specific audience details]
   - Key message consistency: Ensure all repurposed content reinforces [core message]
   - Call-to-action: All content should ultimately drive toward [desired action]

3. Review, customise, and schedule the new content pieces

Expected outcomes

• 60% reduction in content creation time

• More consistent messaging across channels

• Higher engagement through optimised, channel-specific formats

Getting started today

The beauty of these AI quick wins is that they require minimal setup and no technical expertise. Each application can be implemented in under an hour and will immediately begin saving you time and improving outcomes.

To maximise success:

• Start with just one application that addresses your most pressing pain point

• Document time savings and quality improvements

• Share successes with your team to build AI adoption momentum

Remember, AI implementation doesn't have to be complex or disruptive.

By starting with these quick wins, you'll build confidence, develop practical skills, and lay the groundwork for more advanced applications.

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