AI for Breakfast

Chris Witham • March 27, 2024

Post 71 - AI myths debunked: What small businesses really need to know.


Bit late today, lots going on, so a short post without much input from me. Hopefully some useful information for you.


Below is an article from my other assistant, ChatGPT custom.


Starting an online business is an adventure filled with challenges and opportunities. Among the most buzzworthy topics is artificial intelligence (AI). While AI can seem like a realm reserved for tech giants and well-funded startups, it's increasingly accessible and beneficial for small businesses too. Today, we’re going to debunk some common myths surrounding AI in the small business world, shedding light on how it can be a powerful ally from the get-go.

Myth 1: AI is too complex for small business owners

Truth: AI tools and platforms have evolved to be more user-friendly and intuitive. With services like mine, small business owners receive guidance and support to integrate AI solutions that drive efficiency and growth, without needing a degree in computer science.


Myth 2: AI requires a big budget

Truth: There are AI tools available at various price points, many of which offer scalable solutions. This means you can start small and increase your AI capabilities as your business grows, ensuring you're only paying for what you need.


Myth 3: AI will replace human jobs

Truth: While AI can automate repetitive tasks, it actually complements human skills, freeing up time for creative and strategic work. This can lead to job creation and higher job satisfaction as employees engage in more meaningful tasks.


Myth 4: AI's benefits are too futuristic to impact my business today

Truth: AI's advantages are here and now. From automating customer service with chatbots to personalising marketing efforts and improving decision-making through data analysis, AI offers tangible benefits that can help your online business thrive in the present.


Myth 5: Implementing AI is a long and arduous process

Truth: Many AI tools are designed for quick integration and immediate impact. With the right support, small businesses can implement AI solutions in a timely and hassle-free manner.


AI technology is not just a tool for the future; it's a resource available here and now, offering practical solutions to everyday challenges faced by small businesses. By embracing AI, you're not just keeping up with the trends; you're setting your business up for success and sustainability.


By debunking these myths, I hope to have illuminated how AI is not only accessible for small businesses but can be a game-changer in their growth and efficiency. My mission is to help small business owners navigate the AI landscape, ensuring they harness its power to achieve their business goals.

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Lines of colorful computer code on a dark background.
By Chris Witham December 11, 2025
Where AI really helps your Business If you spend any time on LinkedIn or X, you’ll have seen bold claims about how AI can help you build software in a matter of days. There’s a lot of excitement, a lot of big promises, and a fair bit of confusion for business owners trying to work out what’s real. A new term doing the rounds is “Vibe Coding” —the idea of describing what you want to an AI assistant and having it generate the code for you. It’s becoming popular because it can move things forward quickly and help people explore ideas they wouldn’t have been able to create alone. And the truth is, it does have its place. The challenge isn’t the technique. It’s the expectation that AI will automatically deliver finished, reliable, production-ready tools without any real design or thinking behind them. AI accelerates the work you already do well Used properly, AI can: • Remove huge amounts of repetitive work • Speed up drafting and iteration • Generate working prototypes in hours • Help non-technical people explore ideas • Improve documentation, planning and communication This is where it shines. But it still needs clarity, structure, and well-designed processes around it. It’s like having a very fast assistant rather than a fully formed development team. Why many AI projects don’t deliver what people expect Independent research this year showed a clear pattern: • Many early AI initiatives failed to produce measurable business value • Companies abandoned AI ideas because they couldn’t scale or integrate them • The gap between an impressive demo and a reliable tool is larger than people thought This doesn’t mean AI is overhyped. It means teams jumped straight to execution without the groundwork. The technology isn’t the issue. It’s the approach. Small businesses don’t need Enterprise Platforms Most UK small businesses don’t need to build a full software product. What they actually need is: • Better workflows • Faster content generation • Clearer communication • Improved customer support • Tools that reflect the way they work • Consistency and repeatability AI is perfect for this. A custom GPT trained on your tone, your documents and your processes can become: • A writing assistant • A customer support helper • A knowledge base navigator • An internal guide for staff • A quality-control layer • A process automator No engineering team needed. No complex infrastructure. No stress. Where AI builds real value right now AI works best when it’s part of a thoughtful, guided approach: • Define the outcome you want • Build a lightweight prototype (AI helps here) • Add structure, rules and guardrails • Connect it to your real workflow • Test it with real users or staff • Iterate until it feels natural You can still move fast. You just avoid building something brittle that breaks the moment it’s needed. The key insight: AI doesn’t replace expertise, it amplifies it AI is at its strongest when someone knowledgeable decides: • What it should do • What it shouldn’t do • How it should behave • What tone it should use • How it fits into the business • What checks and constraints matter That’s where tools like custom GPTs genuinely shine. They’re not software products in the traditional sense. They’re flexible assistants shaped around your business. With the right design, they can save huge amounts of time and deliver consistent, practical value without any of the complexity of building a full system. A more useful way to think about AI in 2026 Instead of “AI will build everything for you”, a healthier mindset is: AI speeds up the work, but you set the direction. For small businesses, that’s more than enough to make a real difference.
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