Most useful AI work does not start with a new product. It starts with software people already open every day.
1. Name one outcome
Examples: fewer mis-routed tickets, faster invoice field capture, better search in a knowledge base. If you cannot measure it, do not start.
2. Find the insertion point
UI button, background job, or API called from an existing screen. Avoid a parallel “AI app” nobody will open.
3. Control data
What may leave your environment? What must stay? Who can see prompts and outputs? Which model providers are allowed (OpenAI, Claude, Microsoft, self-hosted)?
4. Ship a thin version
One capability, clear fallback when the model is unsure, and a log. Expand only after people use it. Try more than one model on a sample if quality or cost matters.
That is the shape of our AI Integration work. If you need multi-step autonomy, move to AI Agent Development with explicit permissions.