Many companies put off their first artificial intelligence project because they imagine it as long and complex. In reality, a first useful application can be set up within days, as long as you start small.
The first step is to identify a single, well-defined repetitive task: answering the same questions on WhatsApp, following up on unpaid invoices, or sorting applications received by email. There's no need for an exhaustive list: one task is enough to get started.
The second step is to choose the simplest tool for that specific task, rather than the most feature-complete solution on the market. A well-targeted tool, properly set up with the company's real information, is worth more than a powerful platform that is poorly used.
Then comes a test period on a limited scope: a single product line, a single team, or a single week. This allows the answers or the tool's behaviour to be adjusted before rolling it out more widely.
Once this first use is stable, it becomes easier to identify the next task to automate. It is this step-by-step progression, rather than a single large project, that allows an SME to adopt artificial intelligence sustainably.