What should I delegate to an AI agent?

You’ve explored different AI models and their capabilities. Now comes the practical question: which of your daily tasks should you actually delegate? This guide helps you identify the perfect tasks hiding in your workflow.

What’s in this article:

• The FAIR evaluation framework
• Categories perfect for AI delegation
• The acceleration zone
• Getting started

You know AI can help with your work, but staring at your endless task list leaves you wondering: where do you even start? Which of these responsibilities can you actually hand off to an AI agent through workflow automation?

If you’ve used ChatGPT for quick questions or writing help, you’ve experienced AI’s potential. But there’s a bigger opportunity waiting: identifying entire workflows and business processes you can automate with AI task delegation. The key lies in understanding what makes a task perfect for AI automation versus what requires your human expertise.

This guide builds on your understanding of different AI model capabilities to help you make informed task delegation decisions. You’ll walk away with a systematic approach to evaluate your tasks and spot AI workflow optimization opportunities you might have missed.

The FAIR evaluation framework

Identifying the right tasks for AI task automation doesn’t require guesswork. You can use our FAIR framework below to systematically evaluate any task and ask yourself: “Is this task FAIR for AI delegation?”

F - Frequency and impact: How often do you perform this task, and how much time could AI delegation save? High-frequency tasks provide the best return on investment.

A - Availability of data: Is all the information needed for this task already accessible in digital format? Tasks with readily available data are easier to automate than those requiring physical interaction.

I - Input consistency: Does this task follow predictable patterns with clear inputs, defined steps, and consistent outputs? AI excels with structured, repeatable processes but struggles with highly variable work.

R - Results expectations: Can you accept consistent, good-quality output over variable excellence? Tasks where reliability matters more than creative flair work best for business process automation.

This FAIR evaluation framework provides the foundation for informed AI task delegation decisions rather than relying on assumptions about what AI workflow automation can handle.

Categories perfect for AI delegation

Certain task types consistently prove ideal for AI task automation across different industries and roles:

The acceleration zone: partial delegation

Not all tasks fit neatly into “delegate completely” or “keep entirely human” categories. Many complex responsibilities contain components that AI can accelerate through workflow automation while still requiring human oversight. This “acceleration zone” often yields the most powerful human-AI collaborations.

Breaking down complex tasks

Consider a major project presentation: while you’ll deliver it personally, AI workflow automation can assist with research, outline creation, slide design, and practice question generation, dramatically reducing preparation time.

Research and information gathering

AI can quickly gather relevant information, summarize key points from multiple sources, and identify patterns, all while you focus on evaluating findings and making strategic decisions through effective task delegation.

First drafts and ideation

AI excels at generating initial drafts and idea variations that you can then refine with your expertise. This collaborative approach often produces better results than either human or AI working alone.

Data visualization and preparation

AI can create initial charts, graphs, and dashboards that you then customize for specific audiences and strategic emphasis, handling technical formatting while you focus on strategic interpretation.

Getting started

Here’s how to systematically audit your workflow and begin implementing AI task delegation:

Step 1: Conduct a workflow audit

Spend one week tracking your tasks in 30-minute blocks. Focus particularly on tasks you perform multiple times per week involving data processing, content creation, or information gathering—these often provide the highest return on AI delegation investment.

Step 2: Apply the FAIR framework

Review each tracked task using the FAIR criteria. Tasks scoring high on Frequency, data Availability, Input consistency, and acceptable Results expectations are your best candidates for AI task automation.

Step 3: Start with acceleration, not replacement

Begin in the acceleration zone rather than full task handoffs. Choose one complex task you perform regularly and identify which components AI workflow automation could handle. Practice gathering research or creating a first draft before moving to complete process automation.

Step 4: Measure and refine

Track time savings and quality improvements from your delegated tasks. Effective task delegation should reduce your total time investment, not just shift it from execution to editing.

Step 5: Scale gradually

Once you’ve successfully delegated a few tasks, gradually expand to more complex business processes. Consider which successful delegations could be systematized for your team or organization.

Modern no-code AI platforms make it easier than ever to implement and scale these solutions across your organization, eliminating the need for technical expertise.

Ready to transform your workflow? The key to successful AI task delegation lies in starting with the right tasks and gradually building your collaboration skills. Begin with a simple audit of your repetitive tasks this week, then apply the FAIR framework to identify your best candidates.

Your ideal AI delegation opportunities are already hiding in your daily routine; you just need the framework to spot them. Use the FAIR criteria to identify your first workflow automation experiment and discover how AI can amplify your most valuable work.

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