Entryways to Artificial Intelligence

AI Tool Evaluation Matrix

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Purpose of this Tool:

This exercise helps you explore practical ways that AI could support tasks in your work or organization. The goal is to connect real challenges or time-consuming processes with AI capabilities that can help improve outcomes, save time, or reduce workload.

Instructions:

  1. Think of a specific task or process you regularly do at work—especially one that takes time, requires repetition, or involves sorting, decision-making, or analysis.

  2. Identify what’s difficult or inefficient about that task. What problem does it cause? Is it repetitive? Does it require constant attention? Is there too much data?

  3. Choose an AI use case type that fits the situation. Most AI tasks fall into one or more of these four categories:

    • Predict: AI makes forecasts (e.g., sales, risks, timelines)

    • Classify: AI sorts or labels information (e.g., spam vs. not spam, urgent vs. routine)

    • Assist: AI helps a person complete a task (e.g., drafting text, summarizing reports)

    • Automate: AI fully completes a task or workflow (e.g., processing invoices, scheduling)

  4. Identify a tool or type of AI approach that could support the task. This could be a specific platform (like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot), or a general method (like AI-powered document search or image recognition).

  5. Describe the benefit or outcome you hope to achieve by using AI. Will it save time? Improve accuracy? Reduce burnout?

Example Entry (Filled Out):

  • Task or Process: Email triage

  • Problem or Pain Point: Too much time spent sorting through incoming messages

  • AI Use Case Type: Classify

  • Potential AI Tool or Approach: Outlook Copilot or Gmail filters

  • Benefit or Outcome: Saves time by prioritizing important emails and reducing clutter

Your Turn: Fill in Your Own Use Cases

Use the following prompts to write out 2–3 AI use case ideas that apply to your role, team, or organization:

1. Task or Process:

Problem or Pain Point:

AI Use Case Type (Predict / Classify / Assist / Automate):

Potential AI Tool or Approach:

Benefit or Outcome:

2. Task or Process:

Problem or Pain Point:

AI Use Case Type (Predict / Classify / Assist / Automate):

Potential AI Tool or Approach:

Benefit or Outcome:

3. Task or Process:

Problem or Pain Point:

AI Use Case Type (Predict / Classify / Assist / Automate):

Potential AI Tool or Approach:

Benefit or Outcome: