Not Every AI Use Case Is Worth Your Time—Here’s How to Spot the Ones That Are

By Christoph Burkhardt

AI Strategy Advisor | Founder, AI Impact Institute

---

One of the most common mistakes I see in AI adoption is also one of the most understandable: getting excited by what’s possible instead of staying anchored in what’s essential.

AI can do incredible things. It can generate, predict, optimize, automate. The demos are compelling. The potential is real. But when it comes to deciding where to invest attention and budget, possibility isn’t enough. Relevance is everything.

It’s tempting to start with what looks impressive. A customer-facing chatbot that uses natural language. A predictive model with 95% accuracy. A dashboard with real-time insights. 

But the question to ask isn’t: “Can we build this?” It’s: “Does this solve a problem that actually matters to the business—right now?”

That’s the difference between “cool” use cases and critical ones. And it’s a distinction worth mastering.

High-impact use cases usually have three things in common: First, they solve a current pain point. Not a hypothetical. Not a maybe. A problem that’s already slowing down operations, creating cost, or frustrating customers. 

Second, they plug into a system that already exists. They don’t require reinventing the organization—just amplifying what’s already working or reducing the drag where it isn’t.

Third, they create leverage. They improve a key metric tied to speed, satisfaction, or cost—and that improvement compounds over time.

What doesn’t qualify? 

Use cases that are exciting but disconnected from priorities. Pilots that run in isolation. Projects that feel like “innovation,” but don’t move the business forward in measurable ways.

AI can support transformation. But not if it stays in a sandbox. 

It has to live where the pressure is.

So before building your next AI use case, ask:

• What business decision is this improving?

• What inefficiency is this removing?

• What customer experience is this enhancing?

• And what would it cost us—not in money, but in momentum—if we didn’t do it?

If you can answer those with clarity, you’re probably on to something. If not, it might be better to wait.

In a world full of possibility, discernment becomes your superpower.