Do you need AI, or just simple automation?
By Rodney Noriega, Founder, Universal Enablement · Published Oct 12, 2026
Short answer
Use simple rules when the logic is clear and stable, like "send invoices over $5,000 to the manager." Use AI when the input is messy or varies a lot, like free-text emails, scanned forms or customer questions. Many good workflows combine both: AI reads the messy input, then rules decide what happens next.
For about 40 years, AI meant writing rules. In the 1970s, a Stanford system used about 600 rules to diagnose infections as well as some doctors. In 1997, IBM's Deep Blue beat the world chess champion mostly with rules and raw computing power.
Rules break on messy, real-world input. Try writing rules to tell a cat from a dog in a photo. "Pointy ears means cat" fails on German Shepherds. "Dogs are bigger" fails on a large cat next to a Chihuahua. A toddler can do it. No list of rules can. That's why AI moved to learning from examples.
Two questions for your workflow:
- Can someone write the decision on one page? Start with rules. They're cheaper and easier to explain.
- Does the input arrive in a hundred different shapes? You probably need AI, with a person checking.
We pick the simplest tool that does the job. Sometimes that isn't AI at all.
Related
Start with one workflow. In 30 minutes we'll look at where your team's time goes and tell you honestly whether AI can help.
Book a free 30-minute workflow review