Find the task people keep repeating.
Look for a task that happens often and has a clear input and output: reading requests, preparing a record, finding an answer, or drafting follow-up. Start with one workflow your team can describe in plain language.
Make the current cost visible.
Count the people involved, the time per task, and how often it happens. Add the rework and delays you can actually measure. Staff-time value is a useful baseline; it is not a promise that all of that time can be recovered.
Check whether the information is ready.
Can the team access the right source material? Is it current? Who should be allowed to see it? A pilot needs dependable inputs and a clear owner before it needs a clever model.
Choose one small pilot.
Define the input, the expected result, and who reviews it. Compare a sample of assisted work with your current process. Track errors and time spent reviewing, not just how fast a first draft appears.
Decide what earns a next phase.
Set a clear standard for accuracy, usefulness, review time, and ongoing cost. Expand only when the result is useful enough to justify the next investment. Ordinary automation may be the better answer.