How I Use AI to Navigate My Business

People often ask me whether I still use ChatGPT now we've built Syncity AI.

Every day. I also use Claude. Perplexity. Gemini. Leonardo.

They all have strengths. The difference isn't which AI I use. It's when I use each one.

For me, AI isn't about finding one tool that does everything.

It's about creating a backroom team where each system has a clear role.

Just like people.

Step 1: Find What I Don't Know

Every morning I start with Syncity AI. Not because it gives me answers. Because it gives me questions.

While I've been asleep, the AI Scouts have been monitoring competitors, partnerships, events, funding opportunities, industry news and changes that might affect the business.

I don't have to remember to ask. I don't have to know something has changed. I simply review what the system has found.

That's Strategic Navigation.

It's helping me understand what's changed since yesterday and whether it affects where I'm trying to get to.

Step 2: Think, Challenge and Explore

Once something catches my attention, I move to ChatGPT. Not to ask it for opportunities.

I've already got those. Instead, I use it as a thinking partner.

I'll ask questions like:

• What do you think of this opportunity?

• What assumptions am I making?

• What's the biggest risk?

• How would you improve this idea?

• If you were my competitor, how would you respond?

This is where large language models are incredibly powerful. They help me explore an idea from different angles. Challenge my thinking. Spot weaknesses. Strengthen the plan. They're not replacing my judgement.

They're improving it.

Step 3: Make the Decision

Neither system decides what I do next. I do. Sometimes I reject an opportunity completely.

Sometimes I change it. Sometimes I decide the timing isn't right. Sometimes I ignore the advice altogether. Because that's leadership.

AI provides evidence.

People provide judgement.

Step 4: Take Action

Only after I've decided do I move into execution. Maybe that's creating a project. Speaking to a partner. Writing a proposal. Changing our strategy. Or deciding to do absolutely nothing.

Doing nothing is sometimes the right decision too.

AI Should Create Thinking Time

One of the biggest promises of AI is that it saves time. I think that's true.

But I don't think saving time is the goal. The goal is creating thinking time.

Too many leaders spend their day with their heads down. Emails. Meetings. Admin. Firefighting.

By the time they finally stop, the day's over. There's been no time to think.

No time to look ahead.

No time to ask whether the business is still heading in the right direction.

AI changes that.

It takes away much of the research, monitoring and information gathering, creating space for something much more valuable.

Thinking.

Enjoy the Journey

There's another benefit that people rarely talk about.

When you're constantly firefighting, you never get to enjoy building your business.

You're so busy watching the dashboard that you never look out of the window.

Strategic Navigation is different.

You know where you're trying to get to.

You know someone is continuously watching the road ahead.

That gives you the confidence to spend less time worrying about every twist and turn, and more time appreciating the journey you're on.

Business shouldn't feel like constantly driving through thick fog.

It should feel like travelling towards a destination with better visibility, better information and enough confidence to enjoy the scenery along the way.

That's Why We Built Syncity AI

People sometimes assume we're trying to replace ChatGPT or Claude. We're not.

I use them every day. They're brilliant at helping me think.

What they don't do is wake up every morning with a list of opportunities I never knew existed.

That's the job of Strategic Navigation.

Syncity AI continuously monitors what's changing inside and outside your business.

It finds the opportunities. Surfaces the risks. Challenges assumptions. Then hands them to you.

Or to ChatGPT. Or to Claude. Or whichever thinking partner you prefer.

Because the goal isn't replacing large language models.

The goal is giving them something genuinely valuable to think about.

The Future of AI Isn't One Tool

People often ask me which AI they should use. I think that's the wrong question.

The better question is: What role do you want each AI to play?

For me, the answer is simple. One helps me discover. One helps me think. One helps me communicate.

And I make the decisions.

That's how I use AI to navigate my business.

AI Summary

How should business leaders use AI?

The most effective approach is to use different AI tools for different roles. Strategic Navigation platforms identify opportunities and changes, while large language models such as ChatGPT and Claude help leaders analyse ideas, challenge assumptions and improve decision-making.

Should I only use one AI tool?

Not necessarily. Many business leaders use multiple AI systems together, with each performing a different role such as monitoring, reasoning, research or communication.

What is Strategic Navigation?

Strategic Navigation is the continuous process of helping a business move from where it is today to where it wants to be. It combines AI, human judgement and continuous monitoring to help leaders make better decisions as conditions change.

Does Syncity AI replace ChatGPT or Claude?

No. Syncity AI complements large language models by continuously finding opportunities, monitoring change and preparing evidence-backed recommendations. Leaders can then use ChatGPT, Claude or other AI tools to explore those opportunities before making their own decisions.

Why is thinking time important?

AI should do more than save time. It should create thinking time, allowing leaders to focus on judgement, strategy and better decision-making instead of repetitive research and firefighting.