The greatest benefit of artificial intelligence may not necessarily be that it helps us work faster. Even more interesting is how it changes the way we think, develop businesses and make decisions.
I have been using artificial intelligence very actively for over two years as an entrepreneur, sustainability expert and business developer. Initially, it was primarily a tool: helping me find information, generate ideas, prepare texts and solve various problems.
Gradually, its role has evolved. Today, AI is involved in almost every aspect of my expert work. I use it as a sparring partner, to support analysis, develop new solutions and improve the efficiency of my own work.
Only recently did I realise that this way of working has also given me considerable practical experience that can be applied to helping other companies develop their businesses.
AI Is Transforming Expert Work
Based on my own experience, many expert tasks that previously required considerable time can now be completed with the help of AI in as little as 20–30% of the time they used to take.
This represents a significant change. Time previously spent processing information, preparing documents and structuring alternatives can now be devoted to actual expert work: interpretation, decision-making, understanding customer needs and developing new solutions.
This does not mean that AI performs the work independently or that its outputs can be trusted without verification. In fact, my experience suggests the opposite: the more demanding the task, the more important the user's own expertise becomes.
AI can help analyse information, but the expert must understand what that information means, whether the conclusions are justified and how they can be applied in practice.
A Strategic Sparring Partner, Not Just a Text Generator
One of my most important observations concerns the use of AI in strategic business development. AI makes it possible to examine business challenges from different perspectives, evaluate alternative solutions, develop service ideas and challenge one's own thinking.
I have applied this approach, for example, in developing Käkikuu's service offering, designing new service concepts, improving marketing and preparing bids for public procurement contracts.
The value of AI in these tasks does not come solely from the answers it provides. Often, what matters more is its ability to help formulate better questions and examine problems from new perspectives. The entrepreneur still makes the decisions.
Significant Opportunities in Sustainability Work
In sustainability work, AI is particularly useful when processing large amounts of information, combining data from different sources or preparing strategic plans and reports.
In my work as a sustainability expert, I have used AI to structure information, identify areas for improvement, develop sustainability strategies and prepare sustainability reports and communications.
An important observation is that AI can help shift the focus of sustainability work from collecting information to making use of it. The real value of sustainability information only emerges when it is used to make decisions that improve business performance.
At the same time, the limitations of AI must be recognised. In sustainability reporting, carbon footprint calculations and the preparation of sustainability claims, for example, data accuracy, reliable calculation methods and expert assessment are essential.
AI Skills Are Developed Through Practice
Over the past two years, I have learned that using AI effectively is not primarily a technical challenge. What matters most is understanding your own work, identifying opportunities for improvement and knowing how to guide AI effectively.
Rather than simply learning individual prompts, it is more important to develop working methods in which AI supports planning, analysis, problem-solving and decision-making. This applies equally to entrepreneurs, business leaders and experts.
The use of AI should be approached as an integral part of business development, rather than as a separate technology project.
Turning Experience into Services
Until now, I have primarily regarded AI as a tool to support my own work. Only recently have I stopped to consider how much practical expertise I have accumulated through its active use. Based on this experience, we have developed two complementary expert services at Käkikuu:
AI in Strategic Business Development helps companies use AI in business planning, transformation, decision-making and improving operational efficiency.
AI in Sustainability Management focuses on using AI to manage sustainability information, develop sustainability strategies, support reporting and integrate sustainability information into business management.
The services are delivered according to the needs of companies and development organisations through expert sparring sessions, workshops, training programmes or broader development initiatives.
The aim is not to sell AI, but to help companies build better businesses with its support.
My most important lesson from these two years is simple: AI delivers the greatest value when it is used to strengthen your own expertise, not replace it.
Käkikuu Oy – Practical strategic business development and sustainability expertise.
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