AI is everywhere right now. Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, automation tools popping up in every bit of software you use… it’s tempting to jump straight in.
But here’s the truth we see every week at Techcare: businesses that get value from AI don’t start with tools. They start with an AI audit.
An AI audit isn’t technical, scary, or expensive. It’s simply a structured way to understand:
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Where AI could genuinely help your business
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Whether your data is actually ready
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What not to do (this bit saves the most money)
Below is a practical, non-techy way to kick off your first AI audit.
1. Get clear on why you’re even looking at AI
Before anyone mentions software, ask a simple question:
What do we want AI to improve?
This isn’t about being cutting-edge. It’s about outcomes.
Good examples we hear from Techcare customers:
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Reducing time spent on admin and reporting
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Helping staff find information faster
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Improving consistency in emails, documents or proposals
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Supporting decision-making with better insights
Bad starting points:
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“Our competitors are using it”
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“Microsoft keeps talking about Copilot”
If you can’t clearly explain the business benefit in plain English, pause here. AI works best when it’s solving a real frustration.
2. Map the everyday tasks that eat time
This step is deceptively powerful.
Sit down with department leads and ask:
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What tasks are repetitive?
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What relies heavily on copy/paste?
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What involves hunting through emails, folders or systems?
You’re not looking for perfection, just patterns.
Common examples we see in small and medium businesses:
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Writing similar emails over and over
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Updating spreadsheets manually
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Creating reports from multiple systems
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Searching for old documents or job details
These tasks are often where AI delivers its quickest wins.
3. Take an honest look at your data (this is the big one)
AI is only as good as the data you feed it. This is where most businesses stumble.
Ask yourself:
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Is our data stored in sensible places?
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Are file names meaningful?
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Is information duplicated across systems?
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Do staff save things in their own “special” way?
If your data is messy, outdated or scattered, AI won’t magically fix that. It will just give you faster, more confident-looking rubbish.
At Techcare, we’re blunt about this: clean, organised data is non-negotiable.
Before AI:
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Sort folder structures
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Agree naming conventions
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Archive old or irrelevant data
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Reduce duplicates
This groundwork often delivers productivity gains even before AI is switched on.
4. Check permissions, access and security
AI tools often work across emails, documents, chats and files. That’s brilliant — and risky if your permissions are sloppy.
During your audit, review:
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Who can access what?
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Are former employees still lingering in systems?
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Are sensitive files locked down properly?
Decision-makers often overlook this step, but it’s critical. You don’t want AI confidently summarising or suggesting content from files the wrong people shouldn’t see.
A proper AI audit always includes a security sense-check.
5. Identify quick wins vs long-term opportunities
Not everything needs to happen at once.
Split your findings into:
Quick wins
Low risk, high value, minimal change. For example:
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AI-assisted email drafting
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Meeting summaries
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Document templates
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Basic workflow automation
Longer-term opportunities
These usually rely on better data maturity:
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Forecasting
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Advanced reporting
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Process optimisation
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Industry-specific AI use cases
This helps set realistic expectations and avoids the “we tried AI and it didn’t work” trap.
6. Decide how you’ll introduce AI to your team
AI adoption is as much about people as it is technology.
Ask:
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Who needs training?
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What guidance do staff need?
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What’s off-limits?
Without clear guardrails, staff will either:
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Avoid AI completely, or
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Use it in risky, inconsistent ways
We recommend simple, practical training focused on real tasks — not abstract AI theory.
7. Sense-check your IT foundations
Finally, make sure your IT setup isn’t holding you back.
An AI audit should confirm:
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Your systems are up to date
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Devices are capable
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Licensing makes sense (especially Microsoft 365)
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Support is in place when things don’t work as expected
AI should make work easier, not introduce new frustrations.
Where Techcare fits in
At Techcare, we approach AI audits from a business-first perspective. We’re not here to sell shiny tools for the sake of it.
We help business decision makers:
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Understand what AI can and can’t do
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Get their data ready (the unglamorous but vital bit)
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Identify realistic, valuable use cases
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Introduce AI safely and sensibly
If you’re curious about AI but want to do it properly — without wasting time or money — an AI audit is the best place to start.
The goal isn’t to be an AI business. It’s to be a better one.
