AI can do a lot these days. It can analyse data, generate content and even automate entire workflows. But there’s one thing it can’t do right now which is: Think strategically for you. That’s why strategic thinking and smart AI use need to go hand in hand.
Because tools don’t fix poor decisions. Automation doesn’t fix unclear priorities. And no amount of AI will make up for the lack of a clear direction.
If anything, without strategic thinking, AI can actually speed up the wrong kind of work.
AI Isn’t a Strategy (But It Can Support One)
There’s a lot of pressure right now to do something with AI.
You’ve probably felt it, whether that’s testing a tool you saw on LinkedIn, speeding up tasks with ChatGPT or automating steps in a process just to save a few minutes.
While these things might help in isolation, they don’t automatically add up to smarter business decisions.
Without a guiding strategy, AI becomes a patchwork of quick wins and reactive fixes. It adds activity, but not always value.
Strategic Thinking Makes AI Work Harder (and Smarter)
When you have a clear sense of your goals, priorities and direction, AI becomes a powerful multiplier. It’s no longer about what it can do, it’s about what it should do.
This is where strategic thinking and smart AI use really start to deliver value.
Strategic leaders ask:
- How does this tool support our core objectives?
- Will it free up meaningful time or just shuffle work around?
- How will this change the way our customers or team members experience the business?
That mindset flips the switch from “AI for efficiency” to “AI for impact.”
Strategic Thinking and Smart AI Use Are Better Together
The smart use of AI doesn’t replace strategic thinking, it depends on it.
When the two are combined, it unlocks better:
- Decision-making: AI can help you analyse options faster, but strategic thinking helps you choose the right path.
- Focus: AI can clear low-value tasks, but strategic thinking ensures you’re investing that freed-up time wisely.
- Resilience: Strategic thinkers are better equipped to adapt AI use when things shift, rather than being locked into tools that no longer serve.
Start with Strategic Thinking Before Using AI
If you’ve been experimenting with AI but aren’t seeing the results you expected, it might not be the tools, it might be the approach.
That’s exactly why I created How to Employ Strategic Thinking. A practical course designed to help you get out of the day-to-day and start thinking (and leading) at a higher level.
In it, you’ll learn how to:
- Spot opportunities worth pursuing
- Set sharper goals and priorities
- Use tools (AI included) with intention, not just out of habit
Whether you’re managing a team, running a business or just want to spend more time on the right things. This course is built to help you do exactly that.
You don’t need more tech. You need better thinking.
And once that’s in place, the tech starts working for you.