Artificial intelligence is changing the way we work, and fast. From automated emails to AI-generated contracts and marketing content, business owners are increasingly relying on these tools to save time and boost efficiency.

But as the pace of AI adoption accelerates, so do the risks. If you’re a business owner, you may be wondering: Should I be using AI? Can it really replace human input? What are the hidden dangers—and how do I stay ahead without losing what makes my business unique?

As LIFTed Business Advisors attorneys, we work with business owners like you to help them not only keep up with change—but also lead with intention, clarity, and a human-centered strategy. Here’s what you need to know right now to use AI wisely, protect your business, and stay ahead without losing the very thing that makes your company great: you.

What AI Is Good At

Let’s start with the good news: AI can be incredibly useful when applied to the right tasks.

Think of it as a fast, capable assistant. It’s particularly effective at handling structured, repetitive work—the kinds of tasks that follow predictable patterns and don’t require emotional intelligence or professional judgment. For example:

• Drafting outlines for blog posts or email campaigns
• Summarizing meeting notes or long-form documents
• Creating templated responses for customer service inquiries
• Brainstorming ideas for product descriptions or taglines
• Automating scheduling, invoicing, or internal workflows

Used strategically, AI can streamline your processes, reduce administrative burden, and keep you nimble in an increasingly fast-paced business environment. When applied to low-stakes tasks, AI gives you back valuable time, so you can focus on the work that requires your unique insight and leadership. This is especially useful, smart even, when you’re running a business and wearing many hats.

What AI Isn’t Good At—And Why That Matters

Despite its speed and convenience, AI isn’t intelligent in the way we often assume. It doesn’t truly “understand” language, emotion, or context. It makes predictions based on patterns, not decisions based on wisdom.

This creates fundamental limitations and real risks. AI:

• Can fabricate facts and statistics with complete confidence
• Lacks legal, regulatory, or ethical awareness
• Cannot assess tone or emotional nuance in customer communication
• Doesn’t know what matters most to your clients or business goals
• Will never be held accountable when it gets something wrong

In short, AI may be able to generate something that sounds polished, but polish is not the same as precision. In your business, especially when dealing with legal terms, financial advice, or client trust, accuracy and clarity are non-negotiable.

When you rely too heavily on AI to “think” for you, you risk putting your name—and your business—on work that doesn’t meet your standards. Instead, you need human oversight.

Common Pitfalls When Using AI Without Oversight

Without proper oversight, AI can introduce risk faster than most business owners realize. I often see entrepreneurs fall into these traps:

• Trusting AI output without reviewing it
• Using free AI tools to process sensitive data (and unknowingly violating privacy best practices)
• Failing to update contracts to reflect how AI is (or isn’t) used in service delivery
• Letting AI replace, rather than enhance, human communication with clients

These missteps aren’t just technical—they can cost you credibility, lead to legal exposure, or damage client relationships. But with the right systems in place – and the right advisor like me to help you create and maintain your foundational business systems – the pitfalls are avoidable.

How We Help You Safeguard Your Business

We’ve established that AI can be useful but has limitations. The question now is how to use it well, without exposing yourself to unnecessary liability, damaging your brand, or losing the personal touch that sets you apart.

That’s where we come in.

As LIFTed Business Advisors, we support you through the real-world challenges of integrating technology with purpose. Our clients aren’t looking for cookie-cutter advice—they want a thoughtful strategy for using AI that aligns with their goals and values.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Contract Updates

We help you create or revise your client agreements to reflect how you use (or don’t use) AI. That includes setting expectations when clients submit AI-generated materials, or request revisions based on AI feedback. We will also review your contracts to ensure they are legally sound, clear and reflect your business’s specific needs. 

Internal Policies

We can also assist you in creating easy-to-follow guidelines for how your team should use AI tools—ensuring quality control, confidentiality, and consistency across your operations. This is crucial if you run a business where you have a fiduciary duty to your clients or are subject to strict privacy laws and regulations.

Data Protection & Compliance

We’ll also support you in reviewing how information flows through your business and make sure you’re not unintentionally exposing sensitive client data. If your AI tools aren’t secure or compliant, we can consider  alternatives.

Strategic Thinking

One of the biggest mistakes we see is business owners jumping from one shiny solution to the next, hoping a new platform or automation will fix what’s really a strategy problem.

That’s where we come in—not just as an advisor, but as a strategic partner with the legal, business, and operational expertise to help you make decisions that are not only efficient but aligned with your vision and values.

As a LIFTed Business Advisor and attorney, we bring more than technical knowledge. We offer:

• Expertise you can rely on to spot risks, design smart systems, and keep your systems up to date so you’re prepared for innovation; 
• Clarity that cuts through noise, helping you focus on what really matters instead of chasing every new trend;
• Care and consistency you can depend on. I’m here to help you build something that lasts, and be by your side as you do it; and 
• A heart-centered human connection in a world that’s becoming more automated by the day. We take the time to understand your long-term vision for your business and help you build it to reach whatever goals you want to achieve.

AI can assist you, but it can’t lead for you. We help you take back the driver’s seat. Together, we’ll determine where automation can free up your time and where judgment, experience, and personal touch should remain front and center.

This isn’t about resisting change. It’s about embracing it with discernment, intention, and support.

The Strategic Advisor Your Business Needs

AI is here to stay—but it’s not yet a replacement for human expertise. The businesses that thrive in this new era will be those that combine powerful tools with intentional leadership, strong foundations, and with the guidance of a trusted advisor and guide you can always rely on.

When you work with us, we start with a LIFT Business Breakthrough™ Session, where we’ll evaluate your current legal, insurance, financial, and tax systems and identify areas that need improvement. From there, we’ll create a plan to improve your systems so you can carefully and intentionally identify the best tools for you. But I won’t just help you create a one-time plan, then never hear from me again. We remain a long-term advisor and confidant, always at your side, helping you grow and protect your business.