Start with repeated work
SMEs usually get the fastest value from AI when they automate repeated workflows: email triage, document extraction, reporting, support answers, lead research, invoice classification, and internal knowledge search.
Measure before building
Count monthly volume, minutes per task, error rate, delay cost, and user frustration. A small measurement makes ROI easier to discuss.
Keep humans in the loop
For early automation, let AI draft, classify, summarize, and recommend. Humans should approve decisions where risk matters.