Most professionals are actively embedding AI into their work. Yet, according to SmarterX's 2026 State of AI for Business Report, nearly half of organizations remain stuck in limited pilot phases, with no AI roadmap, no AI governance, and no clear plan for what comes next.
This indicates the tools aren't the problem; the approach is. And that’s born out by what we see every day when helping the world’s top companies better adopt AI.
So, what’s the solution to organizations being more productive with AI?
Start with use cases, not tools
One of the most common mistakes professionals make is chasing tools instead of identifying problems, SmarterX Chief Content Officer Mike Kaput says. The smarter move is to build a clear picture of your actual work first, then match AI capabilities to it.
"Tool capabilities can be obsoleted overnight," Kaput says. "But that doesn't change the problems you're trying to solve in your business."
A critical starting point is to create a personalized use case workbook for your specific role, a detailed working document built around your job.
"That workbook is the North Star for everything,” Kaput said. “It's your guidepost for asking: What are we applying AI to this week, or this month?"
He said the goal should be that in six months, you're looking at the workbook with a lot of things crossed out because you tried them, learned from them, integrated them and moved on to bigger opportunities.
The most underestimated AI capability now
Everyone's focused on AI agents, the hottest tools in AI right now. But Kaput thinks the bigger near-term win is custom assistants. Custom GPTs in ChatGPT and Gems in Google’s Gemini are simple to build — no code required — and highly effective. But most professionals still aren't using them strategically.
"If you start stacking custom assistants across different parts of your workflows," Kaput says, "that alone can be transformative."
Making the case to leadership
For professionals trying to build internal support for organizational-wide AI adoption, Kaput advises framing the discussion around problem solving.
"You don't even have to use the letters 'AI,’” he says. “It's not about technology. It's about what business problem you're addressing. Fit AI into that, not the other way around."
How to level up your team
In addition, learning as a team can be more powerful than learning in silos, individually. That’s why teams who attend Kaput’s AI for Productivity workshop at the upcoming AI for Business Bootcamp have an advantage.
"If you have a breakthrough during the workshop, sharing it with your team right there can help someone else have a similar breakthrough," Kaput says.
Real-time knowledge sharing across roles accelerates results in ways a single attendee bringing notes back to the office simply can't replicate.
Ready to power up your productivity?
Kaput, co-host of The Artificial Intelligence Show, will lead the AI for Productivity workshop at the AI for Business Bootcamp on July 16 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton. The day is designed for professionals at any level, and no technical background is required.
Register at smarterx.ai/events. AI Mastery members receive discounted pricing.
Cathy McPhillips
Cathy McPhillips is the Chief Marketing Officer at SmarterX and Marketing AI Institute