You need far fewer than you think. A guest on my show runs a multi-million dollar global business on five AI tools. My advice is to go deep with one or maybe two and stop shopping for the next one. Chasing every new tool costs you money and attention, and it doesn’t move your business forward.
Why do I feel so behind on AI?
I asked the founder of a national women’s business network what she’s hearing from owners right now. She was on city 22 of a 23 city tour, so she’s sat down with a lot of entrepreneurs this year. Her answer was that people are “overcome by the overwhelm of AI.”
She said owners are spending too much time talking about the next big AI tool that will somehow magically change everything for them. She called that a total misuse of the skills.
You feel behind because the AI companies are fighting each other for market share. One product is always trying to outdo the other, and that isn’t going to stop because you’re tired.
How many AI tools does a successful business use?
Here’s what she told me: “I run a multi-million dollar global business. We use five AI tools.” Her point was to focus on what matters most and quit adding more.
She also described what happens when you keep adding. “Before you know it you look at your credit card and you’re being charged all these various different fees,” and you aren’t using any one tool to the max.
When the interview ended, I said it my way: “Don’t have 82 different AI tools. Go deep with one or maybe two.” I went deep with Claude Cowork. The day before the show I totaled up everything it’s doing for me and thought, that can’t be right. Then I looked through the list again, and it’s saving me 20 hours a week.
Can’t I just use AI to put out more content?
You can, and so can everybody else. My guest pointed out that AI can spit out 52 newsletters in about 45 seconds. She said people are now getting bombarded with a minimum of eight times the volume they used to get.
Her answer is to peel back and get really clear. “Clarity is the name of the game.” She pointed at Nike, which has kept beating the same core message for years because they believe in it.
She also warned about the alter ego AI builds for you. It spits something out and you think, “Dang, I sound really good.” But that’s not you, and as she put it, AI will never know your heart. Her own coach taught her that when you see everybody going right, go left.
What should I focus on instead of the next tool?
She runs her business and her life on three things a day. One of them moves the business forward and one hits a looming deadline. Her team gets together Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:00 for 15 to 20 minutes, max.
Three things a day is 15 things a week, and that drives the month, the quarter and the year. Her team has to ask permission to work overtime. As she said, we started our businesses for freedom, and that means time freedom too.
Then she said this about your schedule: “All of your problems are in your calendar. What’s on there that shouldn’t be on there, what’s not on there that should be on there.”
What should I do this week?
Here’s the homework. Pull up your credit card statement and list every AI tool you’re paying for. Pick the one or maybe two you’ll go deep with, and cancel the ones you aren’t using to the max.
Then tomorrow morning, write down your three things for the day. Make sure one of them moves the business forward.
This came from Businessing with Pat Miller. Watch the full June 4, 2026 episode.
More on this topic: AI answers from the Small Business Owners Community