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I took a step back last week to consider where we're investing effort into AI as a…

Emerging tech and AI2 min readSam Page

I took a step back last week to consider where we're investing effort into AI as a business, broadly categorising them into two areas: efficiency and innovation.

On the whole, I think we’re at about a 45/55 split respectively, with some people in certain roles leaning more one way or the other.

But the important bit is the overall balance.

Most of what I am directly involved in tends to be in the innovation bucket. But there are plenty of people also more focussed on the efficiency piece.

As a business, efficiency covers things like morning briefings, time tracking, information processing, knowledge bases, programme and pipeline management (to name but a few).

Innovation, which is slightly more sensitive, includes a number of client, service and product differentiation initiatives we are continuously building - and some joint venture platforms too.

Nick Williams has just written about getting this balance right (link in the comments), and it’s a really useful read.

He’s clear that efficiency matters and gives you a solid, low-risk base, but there’s only so much friction in any business you can remove.

Nick’s suggestion is to manage AI as its own portfolio:

  • 40 to 50% on proven work, which has to pay for itself
  • 50 to 60% on innovation, which has to prove it can grow the business

For every innovation bet, a clear proof point and a set time to decide whether to scale or stop.

Most of the AI debate is still about whether it’s worth it.

Nick’s better question is which AI bets deserve more of your budget this quarter.

How is your company splitting it?

First published on LinkedIn.

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---
title: "I took a step back last week to consider where we're investing effort into AI as a…"
url: https://sam-page.com/thinking/i-took-a-step-back-last-week-to-consider-where-were-investing-effort-into-ai-as
date: 2026-10-22
author: Sam Page
type: Post or article
categories: [Emerging tech and AI]
reading_time: 2 min
summary: "I took a step back last week to consider where we're investing effort into AI as a business, broadly categorising them into two areas: efficiency and innovation."
first_published: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn%3Ali%3Ashare%3A7519027634496933889
---

# I took a step back last week to consider where we're investing effort into AI as a…

I took a step back last week to consider where we're investing effort into AI as a business, broadly categorising them into two areas: efficiency and innovation.

![](https://sam-page.com/img/thinking/i-took-a-step-back-last-week-to-consider-where-were-investing-effort-i-li1.webp)

On the whole, I think we’re at about a 45/55 split respectively, with some people in certain roles leaning more one way or the other.

But the important bit is the overall balance.

Most of what I am directly involved in tends to be in the innovation bucket. But there are plenty of people also more focussed on the efficiency piece.

As a business, efficiency covers things like morning briefings, time tracking, information processing, knowledge bases, programme and pipeline management (to name but a few).

Innovation, which is slightly more sensitive, includes a number of client, service and product differentiation initiatives we are continuously building - and some joint venture platforms too.

Nick Williams has just written about getting this balance right (link in the comments), and it’s a really useful read.

He’s clear that efficiency matters and gives you a solid, low-risk base, but there’s only so much friction in any business you can remove.

Nick’s suggestion is to manage AI as its own portfolio:

- 40 to 50% on proven work, which has to pay for itself  
- 50 to 60% on innovation, which has to prove it can grow the business

For every innovation bet, a clear proof point and a set time to decide whether to scale or stop.

Most of the AI debate is still about whether it’s worth it.

Nick’s better question is which AI bets deserve more of your budget this quarter.

How is your company splitting it?