Beyond Automation: How AI Can Support Strategic Thinking

We often talk about AI as a way to automate repetitive tasks. But there's another side of the coin: using AI to expand your thinking, not just speed it up.

More and more teams are discovering that GenAI tools can support strategy work in surprising and practical ways. Here are a few examples of how.

• Pressure-Testing Ideas

  • Tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can simulate counterarguments, stakeholder reactions, or alternative interpretations. This is especially useful in early-stage planning or proposal writing.

  • Try it: "Act as a skeptical board member" or "What might a client be concerned about in this plan?"

• Exploring Scenarios

  • You can prompt AI to lay out multiple paths or responses to a single problem: best-case, worst-case, most likely. Or ask for comparisons between different strategy options.

  • Try it: "Compare pros and cons of launching X in Q3 vs Q4."

• Generating Frameworks and Models

  • Stuck on how to structure your thinking? Ask AI to suggest frameworks. It might remind you of SWOT, Five Whys, or something industry-specific.

  • Try it: "Suggest decision-making frameworks for a small non-profit choosing between two grant options."

• Identifying Hidden Assumptions

  • AI is trained on large amounts of business writing. If you ask it to critique your assumptions or risks, it can surface blind spots—even if they’re based on patterns, not understanding.

  • Try it: "What assumptions am I making in this rollout plan?"

The Bottom Line

AI won't make strategic decisions for you. But it can expand your perspective, offer alternative viewpoints, and speed up early thinking. It’s like having an endlessly patient, moderately well-read junior consultant in the room.

Use it early, use it playfully—and bring your own wisdom to the table.