← AI for UK SMEs: Getting Started Answer

How do I choose the right AI tools for my business?

Chris Duffy

Chris Duffy

Certified Chief AI Officer • • 2 Min Read

Start from the job rather than the tool. Write down the two or three tasks that cost your team the most time each week, then find the simplest tool that does each one well. Trial it on that real task before you buy. If it doesn't save time in a fortnight, it won't in a year.

The five questions worth asking of any tool: Does it fix a job we actually do? Will the team use it without a fight? Is our data safe in it? Does it work with what we already have? And is it worth the monthly cost against the time it saves? Anything that fails two of those, skip.

Our 3-5-4 Method is the 30-minute version of this: three signs a task is worth looking at, five questions that map it, four decisions about what to automate.

Read next: AI tools for UK small business · Where to start with AI · Book a call

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Common questions

How do I choose the right AI tools for my business?

Start from the job rather than the tool. Write down the two or three tasks that cost your team the most time each week, then find the simplest tool that does each one well. Trial it on that real task before you buy. If it doesn't save time in a fortnight, it won't in a year.

How many AI tools does a small business need?

For most UK small businesses, a short stack beats a long one: one strong general assistant, a meeting note-taker, something for your existing admin and accounts, and one tool for whatever your core bottleneck is. Most businesses buy too many and use a fraction of them.

Chris Duffy, founder of Ignite AI Solutions

About the author

Chris Duffy Founder and Chief AI Officer, Ignite AI Solutions

Chris is the founder of Ignite AI Solutions and a Certified Chief AI Officer. He's a Claude Partner, was named a Top 20 AI Leader in 2026, is a regular expert source for Forbes on AI and cybersecurity, a Responsible AI Awards nominee, and nominated for 3 awards at the National AI Awards 2026. Ex UK Special Forces, he now helps UK SMEs adopt AI safely.

More about Chris · Chris in Forbes · LinkedIn · Substack

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