AI readiness checklist for SMEs
Thirty yes/no questions to check whether your business is ready to start an AI project, and where to prepare first.
What is inside
- 30 yes/no questions grouped into six areas: process, data, people, technology, risk and compliance, and business case.
- A simple scoring guide that tells you what your total means.
- Suggested next steps for each score band.
It is written for owners, operations heads and IT leads at small and mid-sized businesses who are thinking about AI but have not started. It takes about ten minutes. Enter your details below to unlock the checklist on this page.
The checklist
Answer yes or no to each question. Keep a count of your yes answers.
Process
- 1. Can you name one specific workflow you want AI to improve?
- 2. Is that workflow repeated at least weekly, ideally daily?
- 3. Can you describe its steps and who does each one?
- 4. Do you know roughly how many hours or rupees it costs each month?
- 5. Is the desired outcome measurable (time saved, errors reduced, leads handled)?
Data
- 6. Does the workflow produce data, documents, images or recordings you can share?
- 7. Are there at least a few hundred past examples available?
- 8. Is the data stored in one or two known places rather than scattered in personal files?
- 9. Is the data reasonably consistent in format?
- 10. Do you know which examples are correct, so a model can learn from them?
People
- 11. Does a named owner on your side have time to work with us each week?
- 12. Will the people who do the work today be involved in testing?
- 13. Is the team open to an assistant that handles the routine part?
- 14. Is there someone who can review exceptions the AI flags?
- 15. Has leadership agreed that this is a priority?
Technology
- 16. Do you use software (ERP, Tally, Zoho, CRM) that exposes data through exports or an API?
- 17. Is there reliable internet where the system will run, or a plan for edge devices?
- 18. Do you have, or can you set up, a cloud account such as Google Cloud?
- 19. Do you know where the AI result should land (a sheet, ERP, WhatsApp, dashboard)?
- 20. Can someone on your side manage logins and access?
Risk & compliance
- 21. Do you know whether the data includes personal information?
- 22. Have you considered your obligations under the DPDP Act with your adviser?
- 23. Do you know which decisions must always be approved by a person?
- 24. Is there a plan for what happens if the AI is wrong?
- 25. Are customers or staff told when AI is involved?
Business case
- 26. Have you estimated the yearly value of fixing this workflow?
- 27. Is a budget range agreed, even roughly?
- 28. Would a pilot of a few weeks be acceptable before a full build?
- 29. Have you compared buying a ready tool against building (see custom AI vs off-the-shelf)?
- 30. Do you know how success will be judged at 90 days?
Scoring guide
| Yes answers | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | Early stage. Pick one workflow, write down its steps and start collecting examples before any build. |
| 11 to 20 | Getting ready. You have the basics. Close the gaps in data and ownership, then run a small prototype. |
| 21 to 30 | Ready to prototype. You can move to a short discovery session and a prototype on your own data. |
The score is a guide, not a verdict. Many successful projects start with a low score and one engaged owner.
Next steps
- Contact us to talk through your score.
- If documents are your pain point, see document AI.
- For inspection and counting, see computer vision.
- For repetitive back-office work, see automation.
- Unsure whether to buy or build? Read build vs buy AI for SMEs.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the AI readiness checklist free?
Yes. Enter your name and work email to unlock it on this page. There is no charge.
What happens to my details?
We use them to send you the link and, if you wish, to follow up about your project. See our privacy policy for how we handle personal data.
Do I need technical knowledge to complete it?
No. The questions are written for business owners and managers. Where a technical point arises, ask your IT person or contact us.
What if I score low?
A low score just shows where to prepare. Start with one workflow and its data, and talk to us if you want help planning.
Have a process worth automating?
Tell us the one task eating your team's time, and we'll show you what AI does with it. We reply within one working day.