Principle 3: Automate Where Talent Is Wasted
A common question we get in our AI workshops is: What part of my funnel do I automate?
The value of AI isn’t in replacing your team — it’s in protecting their time.
Chances are, your GTM motion is filled with repetitive, low-leverage tasks that drain hours without driving insight: SDRs doing manual research, ops teams buried in spreadsheets, marketers pulling performance reports instead of refining campaigns.
These are not strategic activities, they’re friction. These areas are exactly where AI should be deployed. Use automation to clear the path so your team can spend more time doing what AI can’t.
Look For Areas Where Automation Creates Lift
Look for work that’s structured, repeatable, and slows the system down when done manually. These are the areas where automation compounds:
- Account research and enrichment: Firmographics, stakeholder mapping, intent signal detection.
- Workflow orchestration: Triggering outreach, routing accounts, automating follow-ups based on engagement.
- Data operations: Cleaning inputs, maintaining CRM hygiene, generating performance insights.
Automating these motions doesn’t just save time—it removes the bottlenecks that prevent scale.
Identify Areas Where Human Judgment Creates Leverage
On the other hand, some parts of the GTM motion gain value from human thinking. These aren’t bottlenecks—they’re inflection points.
- Designing messaging that actually resonates with a real buyer in a specific market
- Reading between the lines of a buying committee to understand where influence lives
- Navigating internal dynamics in late-stage deals or aligning across stakeholders
- Reframing positioning based on signals the system didn’t catch
These moments create strategic advantage. AI can support them, but it shouldn’t lead them.
