Post 358 - Thought Thursday - Thursday, 09 January 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.

Website Planet Interview

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: 'An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.' - Benjamin Franklin EXPLANATION: This quote reminds us of the enduring value of learning and education as a pathway to success.

WORD: Egregious DEFINITION: Outstandingly bad or shocking. USAGE: 'The error in the report was so egregious it couldn’t be ignored.' ORIGIN: From the Latin 'egregius,' originally meaning 'distinguished' or 'remarkable,' later used ironically to highlight glaring faults.

TRADE FOCUS: Chef AI APPLICATIONS: - MENU DESIGN: AI creates innovative recipes based on available ingredients. - SUPPLY MANAGEMENT: AI predicts ingredient needs to minimise waste. - CUSTOMER INSIGHTS: AI analyses feedback to improve dish offerings. - SKILL TRAINING: AI provides virtual cooking lessons and techniques.

On 13th January 1898, Émile Zola published 'J'accuse,' an open letter defending Alfred Dreyfus, which became a pivotal moment in the Dreyfus Affair.

IDIOM OF THE DAY: Bite off more than you can chew FIGURATIVE MEANING: To take on a task that is too difficult to manage. TYPICAL USAGE: 'She bit off more than she could chew by agreeing to organise the entire event.' ORIGIN: Likely from the literal difficulty of chewing an overly large piece of food.

IDIOM OF THE DAY: Throw in the towel FIGURATIVE MEANING: To give up or admit defeat. TYPICAL USAGE: 'After hours of trying, he threw in the towel and called for help.' ORIGIN: From boxing, where a towel is thrown into the ring to signal surrender.

AI GENERATED HUMOUR: Why did the AI bring a notepad to the beach? To take down sandy data! This joke connects AI’s data-driven nature to a playful seaside scenario.

WORD: Ineffable DEFINITION: Too great or extreme to be expressed in words. USAGE: 'The beauty of the sunrise was ineffable, leaving everyone speechless.' ORIGIN: From the Latin 'ineffabilis,' meaning 'unutterable,' often used to describe profound experiences.

TRADE FOCUS: Jeweller AI APPLICATIONS: - DESIGN CREATION: AI generates intricate jewellery designs based on current trends. - GEMSTONE ANALYSIS: AI evaluates the quality and authenticity of gemstones. - CUSTOM ORDERS: AI creates virtual previews for bespoke pieces. - INVENTORY MANAGEMENT: AI optimises stock levels and demand forecasting.

On 6th January 1838, Samuel Morse successfully demonstrated the first public telegraph message, marking a revolution in communication.

IDIOM OF THE DAY: Put all your eggs in one basket FIGURATIVE MEANING: To risk everything on a single venture. TYPICAL USAGE: 'Investing all your money in one stock is like putting all your eggs in one basket.' ORIGIN: Likely from the precariousness of carrying all eggs in one basket, risking breaking them all if dropped.

IDIOM OF THE DAY: Spill the beans FIGURATIVE MEANING: To reveal a secret. TYPICAL USAGE: 'She spilled the beans about the surprise party.' ORIGIN: Likely derived from voting practices in ancient Greece where beans were used, and spilling them prematurely could reveal results.

AI GENERATED HUMOUR: Why did the AI start a podcast? It wanted to amplify its voice! This playful joke ties AI’s communication abilities to the world of podcasting.