AI changes the operating model of knowledge work. The firms that win redesign how work gets done, not just who gets a chatbot.
Based on the vertical playbooks and operating patterns in AI That Pays for Itself.
The book cites BCG research where AI-assisted consultants completed more tasks, worked faster, and produced higher-quality output.
Back-office research and synthesis change first; client-facing capacity can expand when the workflow is redesigned.
The risk is confident generic work. Guardrails, review, and firm-specific knowledge determine whether output is usable.
Pick one workflow. Score readiness. Estimate current cost. Write the kill criterion before the pilot starts. If that sounds obvious, good. Obvious is usually what ships.