How to Turn an AI Use Case Into a Working Prototype (Fast)

THE HOW TO GUIDE
Most companies don’t lack ideas. They lack momentum. There’s a growing backlog of “potential” AI use cases sitting in Notion docs and whiteboards.

But in 2025, competitive advantage won’t go to the company with the best brainstorming session — it’ll go to the one that can build fast, learn fast, and prove value fast.

Following on from last week’s newsletter — “How to Spot the Right AI Use Case (and Avoid the Wrong Ones)” — this is your step-by-step framework for turning that idea into a real pilot.

Whether you’re a digital leader, product owner, or C-suite sponsor, here’s how to move quickly without overcommitting — and deliver real results in just a few weeks.

PART 1
Start With a Real Business Problem (Not Just “We Want AI”)

The best pilots start by solving a visible, frustrating, human problem — not by picking a shiny tool.

Ask:
-What repetitive task is burning time or cash?
-What’s costing us speed or customer satisfaction?
-What’s being done manually that shouldn’t be?

Good example:
“Only 30% of inbound support tickets are resolved on first contact.”

Bad example:“We’d like to explore generative AI in customer support.”

AI that doesn’t solve a meaningful problem won’t get used — no matter how clever the tech.

Real ICP examples:

• A PE-backed fitness brand that receives 100+ duplicate customer queries a day — but can’t justify hiring more headcount.

• A recruitment platform with consultants spending hours building candidate packs manually from emails, CVs, and LinkedIn.

• A scale-up that wants to generate investor reports faster but is still wrangling Excel, Notion and HubSpot.
  

STEP 2
Define Success — Keep It Small, Sharp and Measurable

Pilots fail when they get too big or too vague.

You’re not trying to reinvent the company. You’re proving a narrow idea works.

Make sure your pilot:

Is linked to a clear business metric (time saved, NPS, conversion rate)
Can run in 4–8 weeks with a small team
Uses the systems and workflows you already have

Don’t aim for “improve ops.” Aim for:

“Reduce average time to respond to supplier queries by 60%.”

Tips:

• Use Zapier, Notion, Airtable, or Bolt to keep builds light
  Manual steps are fine — integration comes later

• Aim for 80% realism, not 100% polish
  

Real-world inspiration:

BT Group built 130+ small AI pilots in two years — across customer ops, fraud detection, and engineer scheduling. They didn’t bet big. They ran lean, tested fast, and scaled only what worked【Source: UK Tech News / The Times】.

WAIT THERES MORE!!
STEP 3. PUT IT IN FRONT OF REAL USERS- FAST
STEP 4. DECIDE (THEN SCALE OR STOP)
FINAL THOUGHT: YOU DON’T NEED TO BUILD BIG. YOU NEED TO START

To read the rest of the guide including the sections above click here.

Happy Reading!

Thank you for signing up to my newsletter. I’ll be sending it out every week.

Let me know how you get on!

Matt Jonns

Want Help Finding the Hidden Opportunities in Your Business?

We’re opening three free AI Discovery Workshops with our CTO and product team. No fluff. Just real conversations about:

• Where AI fits in your roadmap

• What’s realistic (and what’s not)

• What your competitors may already be doing
Let’s make leaner, smarter, and faster the new normal — before your competitors do.
Get in touch to book your session now - [email protected]

YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN:

Our Upcoming Webinar:
Sign up here

Our most recent webinar:
Watch the recording here

ABOUT MATT

Matt is the Founder and CEO of The Lightning Group, a product and AI innovation studio helping businesses build, scale, and future-proof their digital products.

With a decade of experience in venture building, product development, and investment, Matt has worked with startups and enterprises alike to create high-performing digital platforms. Today, The Lightning Group specialises in AI-powered product development, AI agent & copilot design, and corporate venture building, enabling businesses to leverage AI for smarter customer interactions, automation, and growth.

Under Matt’s leadership, The Lightning Group has launched and invested in over 40 companies, bridging the gap between startup agility and enterprise-scale in the new AI era.

WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER:

You’re receiving this because you’re part of my network—whether through a past event, webinar, or conversation about AI, product development, or digital transformation.

I’m sharing insights on how AI is reshaping digital products, customer interactions, and business strategy, along with practical takeaways from our work at Founder + Lightning.

If this isn’t relevant to you, no problem—just scroll down to unsubscribe, or reply with “opt out,” and we’ll remove you from the list.