Most AI ideas should not be built. This is the rubric I use to decide which ones are worth a team's time, before any money is spent. Score each dimension from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong). The weighting reflects what usually breaks AI projects, and it can be tuned per organization.
How much does this move a real metric? Revenue, cost, time, risk reduction. 5 = clear, measurable, board-level.
Can current AI actually do this reliably? 5 = proven pattern; 1 = research project.
Is the data available, clean, and permitted for use? 5 = ready; 1 = scattered or missing.
Build plus run cost against the value. 5 = cheap to build and operate; 1 = heavy on both.
GDPR, IT security, reputational exposure. 5 = low risk, well controlled, human-in-loop; 1 = unresolved.
Will people actually use it? Change effort and trust. 5 = easy fit into existing workflow; 1 = heavy lift.
How fast can it show results? 5 = weeks; 1 = many quarters.