The Core AI Principles Every Business Owner Needs to Know

Matt Symes
Mar 4
3 min read

Updated: Jul 9

We’re at an inflection point. AI isn’t just a tool—it’s a force multiplier. And while many business leaders are still debating whether to embrace it, the reality is clear:

People won’t be replaced by AI. They’ll be replaced by people who know how to use AI.

The challenge isn’t adoption. It’s integration.

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The AI Fundamentals You Need to Know

AI isn’t magic, and it’s not just automation. It’s augmented intelligence, allowing businesses to work smarter, not harder. Here are the core principles you need to grasp to stay ahead:

1. AI as a Co-Pilot, Not a pilot

The best leaders aren’t delegating decisions to AI—they’re using AI to sharpen their thinking.

AI can analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and generate insights at scale. But the human layer—the ability to ask the right questions, validate assumptions, and make strategic calls—remains irreplaceable.

2. Adopt the 10-80-10 Rule

The value used to be in the work. Now it is in framing the query (The upfront 10), watching the magic happen before your eyes (The 80), and then auditing and editing the result to fit your needs (The 10).

Listen to our podcast to dive deeper into this concept.

I.e. I know nothing about sloping sand filter systems.

Yesterday, a client who does know quite a bit, talked about an innovative product. With his knowledge of the product and my knowledge of building competitive moats, we used Open AI’s Deep Research.

11 minutes later, using 49 Sources ranging from academic journals to niche market sites to government studies locally and internationally, we had a robust competitive analysis comparing the top 8 products on the market (including the one he has the rights to) to a traditional sloping sand filter systems.

3. AI Adoption Fails When It’s Forced, Not Framed

Resistance to AI in the workplace is real. Why?

Because many employees fear it’s here to replace them. The organizations that win are the ones that position AI as an enabler, not a threat.

They integrate AI into workflows that remove friction, free up time for high-value work, and enhance—not diminish—their people’s roles.

4. AI Is Only as Good as Your Inputs

Bad prompts lead to bad results.

Effective AI use requires prompt engineering—framing questions in a way that extracts the best insights. A simple tweak in how you structure a request can be the difference between generic fluff and high-value intelligence.

We talk about the RICCE.

The R is the most important, that stands for Role. What persona/expert would you like AI to embody?

5. AI Doesn’t Remove Thinking—It Demands Better Thinking

AI speeds up analysis, content creation, and decision support, but it doesn’t eliminate the need for critical thinking.

There are still plenty of hallucinations in the responses. The leaders who thrive in an AI-driven world will be those who use AI to test assumptions, challenge biases, and refine their strategic thinking.

They tested 144 recruiters. They gave ⅓ no tools, ⅓ incredible tools, and ⅓ crude tools. The group with the crude tools placed first, no tools came second, and the incredible tools placed last. The group that had powerful tools fell victim to cognitive offloading.

AI demands more rigour. Bake it into the process.

6. The Shadow AI Problem Is Growing

Whether sanctioned or not, AI is already in your workplace.

Employees are using ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to streamline tasks—often without oversight. Ignoring it doesn’t prevent risk; it amplifies it.

Smart businesses are proactively shaping AI usage Principles that ensure security, privacy, and responsible deployment

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What This Means for You

If you’re waiting for a perfect AI roadmap, you’ll be waiting too long. Instead, the best approach is to start—intelligently, strategically, and with clear intent.

Build your own Principles Guide. Start with addressing these: