“We hear about AI everywhere, but concretely, where do we start?” That’s the question SME managers ask me most often.
The good news: you don’t need a large budget to start. The bad news: many companies launch in the wrong order and waste money.
Here’s the method that works.
Step 1: Identify the right problem
AI is very effective on specific tasks:
- Document processing (invoices, quotes, contracts, emails)
- Answering repetitive questions (customer support, FAQ)
- Generating structured content (reports, product sheets, summaries)
- Extracting information from various sources
The first question to ask yourself: what repetitive task wastes the most time for your team? That’s usually where AI delivers the fastest value.
Step 2: Don’t start with technology
The classic SME mistake: choosing an AI tool before defining the problem. Subscribe to ChatGPT Teams, ask someone to “do AI,” and six months later nothing has changed.
The right approach: define the precise use case first, measure the expected gain, then choose the right technology.
Step 3: Start small, measure, scale
A successful first AI project must be:
- Delimited: one single process, not the whole company
- Measurable: you know beforehand how to evaluate success
- Reversible: if it doesn’t work, you can go back without damage
What it really costs
A first AI project for an SME typically costs between €3,000 and €15,000 depending on complexity. It’s an investment, not an expense — ROI is measured in hours saved and errors avoided.
Stéphanie Caumont
AI Product Owner · Learn more