Becoming an AI-First Company: A Step-by-Step Guide
AI isn’t just a shiny tool anymore, at least, that’s not how you should be thinking about it. It’s quickly becoming the backbone of modern businesses operations. When you look at the numbers, it’s impossible to ignore. According to Michael Stelzner of the AI Explored Podcast, AI has the potential to unlock an astounding 300% productivity gains.
So, what does it mean to be “AI-first”? It’s about more than just adding ChatGPT or any other Large Language Model into your workflow, it’s about reprogramming how your team thinks. Instead of asking, “Can AI help me with this?” at the end of a task, the goal is to ask that same question at the very beginning. In an AI Explored Podcast episode, guest Rachel Woods and Stelzner dig into what it really takes to become an AI-first company, and the good news is that it really isn’t that complicated. Like most things, it comes down to structure, mindset, and a willingness to experiment.
The Three Roles Every AI-First Company Needs
One of the most practical ways to set up an AI-first foundation is by defining three key roles inside your business:
AI Visionary - This is usually the founder or leader. They set the strategy and decide where AI fits into the big picture.
AI Operator - A process-driven team lead who loves systems and is excited about integrating AI in their daily tasks.
AI Implementor - The technical doer, the one who builds, tinkers, and tests AI solutions. Sometimes this overlaps with the operator, but the more technical the projects (think AI agents or automation), the more you’ll want someone dedicated to it.
These roles don’t always need to be three separate people, especially in smaller companies, but thinking about them clearly helps you stay accountable.
Step 1: Shift to an AI-First Mindset
This part is cultural. To become AI-first, your team has to learn to go AI before anything else. Some ways to make this stick:
Set expectations: make it clear that AI should be the default starting point.
Share real-world use cases: nothing helps adoption more than showing how it has saved others hours of work.
Use habit stacking: add AI into existing routines until it feels automatic.
The real breakthrough happens when people stop seeing AI as optional and start seeing it as their first instinct.
Step 2: Find Your “AI Edge Opportunities”
Not every task needs AI. The sweet spot is finding what Woods calls AI edge opportunities: high leverage use cases where AI gives you a real competitive edge that you wouldn’t have otherwise. The simple questions to ask are:
Will this save us significant time?
Does it help us build an advantage others can’t easily copy?
This is where you move beyond “AI for efficiency” and into “AI for strategy.”
Step 3: Apply the CRAFT Cycle
Once you’ve identified an opportunity, use this framework to roll it out:
C - Clear Picture: Define the problem clearly.
R - Realistic Design: Map out a practical AI solution.
A - Automate: Build it, automate it, make it work.
F - Feedback: Test it, refine it, get user input.
T - Team Rollout: Share it with the whole company once it’s proven.
The CRAFT cycle turns experimentation into process, so you’re not just chasing shiny AI tools, you’re building sustainable systems.
Step 4: Make it Stick
Becoming AI-first isn’t a one-time project. It’s an ongoing shift that requires tools, training, and a little bit of tinkering. Here are some ideas:
Create a prompt library so no one is reinventing the wheel.
Share use cases across the team regularly.
Encourage experimentation, this is where breakthroughs can happen.
Most importantly, you have to keep leadership engaged. When leaders model curiosity and use AI in their own work, adoption spreads faster than any internal memo ever could.
At its core, AI-first is about future-proofing your business. By defining roles, shifting mindsets, spotting your edge opportunities, and following the CRAFT cycle, you’re saving time and building a competitive advantage that compounds over time. If you’re wondering where to start, here’s a simple challenge: pick one workflow this week and ask yourself, “What would it look like if I used AI first?”
