A subtle mindset shift that makes all the difference
“What’s the main use case of GenAI for our industry?”
It’s the most common question I hear from executives, team leads, and consultants. Whether they’re asking me directly or quizzing vendors at conferences, it dominates nearly every conversation.
It sounds like a smart question - and it’s certainly a common one. But asking it too early may be exactly why so many GenAI initiatives stall before they ever start.
The “Nice to Have” Trap
When you ask, “What can this tool help us do better?” you’re already placing GenAI in the “nice to have” category.
Think about it: “better” implies your current processes are fine - they just need a little optimization. This framing kills urgency. And without urgency, nothing changes.
GenAI becomes just another item on the someday-maybe list, gathering dust alongside that CRM upgrade you’ve been meaning to implement.
People don’t change their workflows or adopt new tools for small improvements. They change when something feels broken or unsustainable.
The Versatility Problem
There’s a deeper issue at play. As AI researcher Ethan Mollick puts it, GenAI is a general-purpose technology - more like electricity than a niche software tool.
If you ask, “How do I use electricity to produce light?” you’ve limited your imagination to light bulbs. You’re missing the potential to power entire cities, industries, or ways of life.
The same happens with GenAI. Narrow it down to a single use case - say, “document summarization” - and you may miss the broader opportunity to transform how entire workflows operate.
A Better Question to Ask
So, what should you ask instead?
“Which of our biggest challenges could GenAI help us solve?”
This question shifts the conversation from tools to impact - from exploring what’s possible to focusing on what’s needed. You’re not shopping for features. You’re looking for solutions to real business problems.
A Real-World Example: Law Firms
Consider law firms. According to Clio’s research, lawyers spend 20–60% of their time on non-billable work. That’s not just inefficiency—it’s a profit leak.
Compare these two approaches:
“What can GenAI help us do better?”
“How could GenAI reduce the time we waste on non-billable work?”
The second question immediately opens up concrete, transformative possibilities:
- Summarizing internal meetings and discovery sessions
- Automating client communication and status updates
- Drafting conflict check emails and intake forms
- Generating personalized follow-ups from matter notes
- Tracking task status and reducing coordination overhead
These aren’t hypothetical gains. They translate into real hours - and revenue - recovered.
Why This Matters for Adoption
Reframing the question changes everything:
- Clear metrics: You can measure hours saved or revenue recaptured
- ROI clarity: You can tie tool use directly to business results
- Shared purpose: Teams understand why they’re learning something new
- Urgency: The pain point is real and costly
Direction: You start with a meaningful problem - then find the right solution to solve it
Start with Problems, Not Possibilities
GenAI is powerful. But power without direction leads nowhere.
Don’t ask vendors what their AI can do. Ask yourself what’s slowing you down, draining resources, or holding your teams back. Then explore whether GenAI might be the right tool to address those challenges.
The good news? You don’t need all the answers - just a better starting point.