The CEO's Guide to AI: Questions to Ask Before You Invest

7 critical questions every CEO should ask before approving AI budget. A practical checklist for smarter investment decisions.

Boards usually want a budget conversation next. Our AI consulting cost guide for the UK and AI ROI calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a CEO ask before investing in AI?

Seven core questions: what specific problem are we solving, is the task repetitive, rules-based and resource-intensive, what does success look like in 90 days, who owns this internally, have we mapped the current process, what happens when this goes wrong, and are we buying a tool or building a capability.

How do I define an AI problem properly?

Be specific and measurable. 'Reduce motor claims intake from 18 minutes to 10 minutes per claim' is a usable definition. 'Be better at AI' is not. If your operations leader cannot give a single-sentence numerical target, you are not ready to invest.

What is the 3Rs test for AI investment?

Repetitive, rules-based, and resource-intensive. AI helps most where work happens often, follows clear logic, and ties up skilled people on routine tasks. Score the candidate process honestly. If it scores low on any of the three, be sceptical.

Why do CEOs approve AI budgets that fail?

Usually FOMO and competitive pressure rather than a defined problem. The seven questions force the conversation away from 'should we do AI' towards 'should we solve this specific problem in this specific way', which is when smart investments happen.

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