[EXPERT OPINION] Entrepreneurs: AI Won't Save You Time. Automation Will.

Date of the article: September 28, 2026

Reading time: 7 min

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We often hear that artificial intelligence saves valuable time. That’s true… but only partly. Because while AI can speed up certain tasks, it doesn’t eliminate them. For an entrepreneur, however, the real time savings lie elsewhere: in automating the repetitive tasks that clutter up the workday. Through real-life examples and practical advice, Loïc Ouattara, National Tech Advisor and co-regional manager for the Hauts-de-France region of the “ Entrepreneurs dans la Ville ” program, explains how to rethink your organization so you can devote more time to creating, selling, and growing your business.

Every week, I work with entrepreneurs who tell me they use AI—ChatGPT to draft an email, Copilot to rephrase a proposal, and Claude to summarize a document. That’s a good thing.

But when I take a closer look at their day-to-day work, I often see the same scenario: they keep copying and pasting the same information between their emails, CRM, quotes, reports, and tracking spreadsheets.

They have a faster assistant. They don't have any less work.

Using AI isn’t the same as automation. When you ask an AI to write an email, you’re still the one who opens the tool, drafts the request, copies, pastes, and sends it. Automation begins when one action triggers another, without the need to re-enter data, with human validation only where it’s truly necessary.

I learned this distinction even before the advent of generative AI. As a co-founder of a fintech company operating in both Europe and Africa, I quickly realized that you don’t scale up by working faster, but by eliminating tasks that don’t need to be done manually.

Our customers needed answers at any time of day, across multiple countries and time zones. Rather than having someone on call 24 hours a day, we set up a chatbot capable of answering practical questions at any time. This allowed our teams to focus on requests that required analysis, support, or a human decision.

So the right question isn't "Which AI tool should I use?", but rather: "What repetitive tasks could I eliminate from my daily routine?"

5 Practical Automations to Get You Started

1. When a lead comes in, it is automatically added to your CRM

Whether it’s a form on your website, an initial contact, or an incoming email: the contact is created, enriched, and filed without having to re-enter any information. You avoid duplicate data entry and, most importantly, prevent leads from getting lost in an overflowing inbox.

2. A meeting ends, and the minutes and tasks are already ready

The meeting is transcribed and summarized; decisions are identified, and action items are added to your tracking tool, along with the people responsible and deadlines. You can move from discussion to action without spending another hour writing things up.

3. Once a quote is signed, the billing and follow-up processes are initiated

Signing triggers the creation of the invoice, an update to the cash flow statement, a change in the customer's status, and a scheduled reminder in the event of late payment. It is these small tasks, repeated dozens of times, that take up the most time.

4. A customer email arrives, it is screened, and a response is prepared

The AI identifies the nature of the message (quote request, complaint, appointment request, simple question) and drafts a response. You review it, make any necessary adjustments, and send it. The goal isn’t to remove the human element from customer service, but to save employees from having to start from scratch.

5. Your monitoring becomes an automatic summary

Instead of spending time each week browsing ten websites, newsletters, and social media platforms, you’ll receive a summary of what matters to your business: competitors, calls for proposals, regulatory changes, and opportunities. You no longer have to search for information—it comes right to you.

The 3 Levels of Automation

To help you assess where you stand, I've identified three levels.

Level 1 — Assist. The AI prepares, but you carry out the action.

Example: ChatGPT drafts an email that you copy into your email client.

Level 2 — Automate. The system performs part of the action; you monitor or approve it.

Example: A customer email is analyzed, and a suggested reply is provided before you send it.

Level 3 — Orchestrate. Multiple tools communicate with each other and execute a sequence of actions. You only intervene when a human decision is required.

Example: Prospect form → AI qualification → Creation in the CRM → Personalized email → Follow-up task on Day 3.

You haven't just used AI five times. You've built a process that works for you.

The goal isn't to reach Level 3 across the board: some tasks should remain in human hands. But this framework already allows us to look at our organization in a different light.

Where should I start?

In the programs we run at Entrepreneurs dans la Ville, I recommend a very simple method. For one week, write down the tasks you do more than twice. For each one, ask yourself three questions:

1. Does this task really require me to make a decision?
2. Am I always repeating the same steps?
3. Could part of this process be triggered automatically?

Don't try to automate your entire business in a single day. Choose one task. Automate it. Measure the time you save. Then move on to the next one.

Two rules of caution: always take a human-centered approach to anything that affects your customer relationships, your reputation, or an important decision. And do not entrust sensitive data to a tool when you do not fully understand how it is used or the terms under which the data is processed.

Tools are no longer a hindrance

During a closing demo day (an event as part of the “ Entrepreneurs dans la Ville ” program), I saw an entrepreneur being questioned by the jury about his online presence. His service was solid, but he lacked a platform to bolster his credibility: he didn’t have a website.

A few years ago, the answer would have been a developer, a budget, and several weeks. Today, with the right tools, you can create a basic, functional website in just a few hours. The difference no longer lies in technical skill, but in knowing that these tools exist.

The same goes for automation. The solutions are out there and readily available. The real challenge lies in taking a close look at how you operate and deciding which tasks you’re willing to stop doing yourself.

The rule I've learned

An entrepreneur’s time is their scarcest resource. AI can help them use it more effectively, provided they don’t view it merely as a tool for writing faster.

The challenge is to build organizations that facilitate the flow of information, handle repetitive tasks, and give entrepreneurs time for what no amount of automation can replace: making decisions, creating, selling, negotiating, and building relationships.

Before deciding which AI tool to use, first figure out which task you should no longer have to do manually.