The First Simple AI Automation I Build for Most Clients (And Why It’s Boring on Purpose)

Alexis Goodreau
May 8
3 min read

A desk with a laptop displaying code, notebook and pen, coffee cup, and smartphone. Mechanical gears and wires are visible underneath.

Most people come to me excited about what AI could do.

“Can it write all my content for me?”

“Can it generate images for my brand?”

“Can it help me pitch clients or clean up my email drafts?”

And sure, AI can do those things.

But the very first AI workflow I build for almost every client? It doesn’t do any of that. It’s not flashy. It won’t wow your Instagram feed. And it probably won’t make you feel like a tech genius.

That’s the point. The most impactful AI is the kind you barely notice because it’s quietly making your life easier.

What People Think They Need

It makes sense. Everyone sees AI being used for content and client-facing tasks. There’s this assumption that if it’s not “doing the work for you” it’s not worth setting up.

So I get a lot of initial requests for lead-gen automations, marketing content, or inbox sorting tools. Those have their place, but they’re usually not where I start.

The biggest wins come from simple AI automation - the kind that clear your plate, not clutter it. Right now 47% of small businesses who are implementing AI are focusing on flashy AI marketing tools while skipping the operational stuff entirely. It’s no wonder so many feel overwhelmed or underwhelmed once the hype wears off.

The Simple AI Automation I Actually Build First

Here’s what I build first:

A weekly summary of what actually happened in your business. Not pulled together by hand. Not pieced together from five apps. Just a calm little digest that shows what moved, what wrapped up, and what shifted this week.

It usually looks like this:

Zapier pulls completed tasks or updates from tools like Asana, ClickUp, or Notion
It sends them to your inbox or Slack every Friday
Then I add an AI-generated summary: “Here’s what changed this week.”

That’s it. And yet it changes everything. Because now you’re not asking your team for updates. You’re not wondering what happened. You’re not feeling out of touch with your own business.

72% of small businesses that use AI for internal operations report faster resolution times and better decision-making. This is the kind of low lift, high clarity workflow that gives you those results.

Why I Build “Boring” AI Workflows First

The exciting stuff only works if the stale stuff is already handled.

This kind of automation:

Reduces founder check-ins and task chasing
Gives real visibility into progress (without creating new work)
Builds habits around reviewing and reflecting instead of reacting

And honestly? It just sticks.

The AI that supports your internal decision-making ends up being more valuable than the AI that tries to do your marketing for you. Because clarity is what lets you scale.

Want to Build One? Start Here.

Here’s the quick-start version:

Pick 2–3 things you always want visibility on (finished tasks, new leads, updates made)
Create filters or views in your project management tool to surface that info
Use Zapier to send it to yourself every Friday afternoon
Optional: add a short AI summary -“What changed this week?”

No dashboard. No extra meetings. No chasing your team. Just information, delivered when and where you need it.

This is how you build a system that works with you, not one you constantly have to fix.

Want help building your own AI workflows—without the tool fatigue?

This is what I do every day. Book a discovery call or poke around AG Strategies if you want to see what’s possible when things start working quietly in the background.

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