I recently had a conversation with a business owner about automating parts of their team’s workflow. I said, “We can automate 3 – 4 hours of that person’s job.” His response caught me off guard: “Why would I want that? What is she going to do with all that time?”
This scenario perfectly highlights one of the biggest challenges businesses face when adopting AI—a mindset rooted in outdated industrial thinking. Why do we resist AI, even when it saves time?
Industrial thinking still dominates many organizations today. It tells us that employees need to be busy every moment of the workday, churning through tasks to justify their roles. The idea of someone having “free time” at work feels uncomfortable because it challenges long-held notions of productivity.
But here’s the thing: AI isn’t here to replace your workforce; it’s here to augment it. AI won’t take over 100% of most jobs, but it can automate a high percentage of the repetitive, time-consuming tasks within those jobs. The result? Employees are freed to focus on activities that are more strategic, creative, and impactful.
The True Value of AI: Time Reimagined
AI is an opportunity technology, not just an efficiency technology. It empowers organizations to do more, faster, and in less time, opening up new possibilities for growth and innovation.
AI saves time, money, and effort. Those 3 – 4 hours we can save for your team member? They’re not a liability—they’re an opportunity.
Imagine this:
- If your sales team spent less time manually entering data, they could engage with more prospects and close more deals.
- If your customer support staff didn’t have to sift through endless emails to answer FAQs, they could focus on resolving complex issues and improving satisfaction.
- If your managers weren’t drowning in administrative tasks, they could work on strategic planning to drive your business forward.
AI enables your team to do what machines can’t: think critically, innovate, and build stronger relationships with customers and colleagues.
Asking the Right Question
Here’s a question to consider: If your employees had 3 – 4 more hours available each day, what high-impact activities could they help you with?
AI adoption isn’t about replacing people or finding ways to keep them busy. It’s about reimagining productivity and empowering your team to achieve more. So instead of wondering, “What will they do with the extra time?” ask yourself, “What could we accomplish together with it?”
The bottom line? AI will make your business more productive.
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