Everyone in Study Groups Is Talking About AI. The Harder Question Is How to Use It.
AI comes up in almost every Study Groups meeting now. Nobody is asking whether it matters anymore; they are trying tools, seeing where it could help, and working to get something useful running in their own companies.
The members making real progress aren’t doing anything exotic, though. They’re treating AI like any other project. Three habits keep showing up.
Start with the problem, not the tool.
It’s tempting to buy a tool and then go looking for somewhere to use it. That rarely ends well. A better starting point is a problem you already know you have: a process that takes too many hours, a clunky workflow, or information your people can’t find when they need it. Once you define the problem, you can judge whether AI actually solves it or just adds another login. If you wouldn’t fund the project without the word “AI” attached, it probably isn’t the right first project.
Give it an owner.
Every project that works has an individual accountable for it, and AI is no different. A tool nobody owns turns into a subscription nobody uses. The owner makes sure employees understand how it fits into their day, checks that the data and processes underneath can support it, and decides whether the results justify going further. Starting with one focused use case keeps that job manageable and keeps a simple test from turning into a major IT project.
Talk to people who’ve already done it.
A vendor will show you what the software can do in a demo. Another owner will tell you what it did in their business. Did employees actually use it? What broke? Did the vendor deliver what they promised, or did the rollout look a lot different from the sales pitch? Was it worth the money? Those answers are hard to get anywhere else, and they can save you from an expensive mistake.
This kind of peer sharing is what Study Groups was built for. In the March 2026 member meeting insights report, technology and AI were among the topics members raised in open discussion, with people sharing what they’re dealing with, what they’ve tried, and what they’re thinking about next. [1]
Our new virtual AI study group, SG Connect: AI, gives that conversation its own home. Members talk through practical uses of AI, automation, and workflow improvements, and compare notes on which tools and vendors are meeting expectations. [2]
The tools will keep changing, but the discipline won’t. Pick a real problem, put someone in charge, and learn from people who’ve been there. Members don’t have to figure it out alone.
Sources
[1] Study Groups, “Across the Board, Here’s What SG Members Are Talking About” (March 16, 2026). Member meeting insights covering open discussion, current challenges, technology, AI, and practical member experiences.
[2] Study Groups, “SG Insights: The AI Readiness Gap” (2026). Study Groups research covering AI implementation, data readiness, accountability, measurement, and SG Connect: AI for Business Leaders.
