# AI foundations

> Decide when AI is useful and when a simple rule is enough.

No technical background required.

## Understand

Start with a task, not a model. “Summarize incoming service requests” is specific; “add AI to our business” is not. Name the input, the useful output, and the person who checks it.

## Apply judgment

Use a rule when the decision is stable and explicit: an invoice above a fixed amount requires approval. Consider AI when the input varies, such as identifying themes in customer messages. AI outputs can be wrong, so keep a review step where errors matter.

## Try it yourself

Try it: choose one repeated task. Write down three example inputs, the output you want, and one unacceptable mistake. This becomes the beginning of an evaluation set.