Built By Base Code
Built By Base Code
Secure. Automate. Scale.
Self-audit
AI readiness · small business
builtbybasecode.com/audit/ai

Is your business using AI deliberately?

Eighteen yes/no questions covering the practical side of AI in a small business: where it fits (and where it does not), whether your data is ready, which tools and tiers make sense, what your team is and is not allowed to do, what is actually running, and whether it is measurably paying off. Ten minutes to complete. Score at the bottom, interpretation and next steps on the reverse.

How to score. Tick Yes (2 pts) if you are confident this is in place. Tick Not sure (1 pt) if you think so but haven't checked, or if it is true for part of the business and not others. Tick No (0 pts) if you know this is not currently the case.

01Fit for your business 3 questions

1.1
You have named 2-3 specific recurring tasks in your business where AI could realistically speed up the work (drafting, summarising, sorting, first-draft responses, translating between formats). Not "AI transformation" as an abstract goal.
1.2
You have named tasks where AI is not a good fit (final client communications, regulated advice, high-stakes numbers, anything requiring verified accuracy) and set a boundary for your team.
1.3
Your expectations match reality. AI is an assistant that speeds up specific work with human review. Not an autonomous replacement for judgement.

02Data readiness 3 questions

2.1
The information AI would need to help you (past quotes, product details, customer FAQs, standard email replies, standard operating procedures) exists in a searchable format. It is not spread across paper files, personal inboxes, or one person's memory.
2.2
Sensitive information (customer personal data, financial details, legal or medical records) is clearly identified, and your team knows not to paste it into public AI tools.
2.3
You know which AI tools you can safely share business information with. The tools you use for confidential work have a data processing agreement or a business tier that guarantees your inputs are not used for training.

03Tools & cost 3 questions

3.1
You use one or two AI tools deliberately, not a growing list where nobody remembers what each is for.
3.2
Each AI tool is on the right tier. Free tiers for occasional low-stakes use. Paid business tiers (ChatGPT Team, Claude Pro, Microsoft Copilot with enterprise data protections, or a comparable option) where data privacy or output quality matters.
3.3
You know your monthly AI subscription spend and could defend each one against the time it saves or the work it enables. AI costs are not an unexamined line on the credit card.
Built By Base Code
Built By Base Code
Secure. Automate. Scale.
Self-audit · continued
AI readiness · small business
builtbybasecode.com/audit/ai

04Governance & privacy 3 questions

4.1
Your team has a clear picture of what AI use is approved (drafting internal notes, summarising documents you own, generating first-draft copy for review) and what is not (sending customer data to public AI, publishing AI output without human review).
4.2
Every AI-generated output that reaches a client, customer, or the public has been reviewed and edited by a human. AI never speaks in your business's voice without supervision.
4.3
If your business is in a regulated field (health, financial services, legal, education), your use of AI tools is disclosed where required and does not conflict with professional-standards obligations.

05Practical use 3 questions

5.1
You have at least one AI use case actually running in your business today (inbox triage, meeting summaries, first-draft writing, customer FAQ answering, document search). Not experimenting on the side. Embedded in real work.
5.2
The AI tools your team uses are wired into their existing workflow (inside Gmail, Outlook, your CRM, or your document editor), not a separate browser tab they have to remember to open.
5.3
You have tested each AI use case against a real business output (a specific email you sent, a real quote you generated, an actual client summary) and confirmed the AI produced work you would ship.

06Measurement & risk 3 questions

6.1
You could estimate the hours per week AI has saved your business over the last 90 days. A real number a team member could defend, not "productivity gains" as marketing copy.
6.2
You have a way to catch AI-generated errors before they reach the customer. A review step, a checklist, or a colleague check for anything high-stakes.
6.3
If your primary AI tool went offline or doubled in price tomorrow, you know what your fallback plan is. You are not silently dependent on a single vendor.
Built By Base Code
Built By Base Code
Secure. Automate. Scale.
Score & next steps
AI Readiness Self-Audit
builtbybasecode.com/audit/ai
Add your ticks · Yes = 2, Not sure = 1, No = 0 Maximum possible: 36. Write your total in the box.
/ 36

What your score means

AI-aware and disciplined 28 to 36

Your business uses AI on purpose. You have named the specific tasks where it helps, drawn a boundary around tasks where it does not, and put the safeguards in place to protect customer data and output quality. Your team knows what is approved, your subscriptions are on the right tiers, and you could estimate the hours actually saved. The next tier is usually deeper embedding: connecting AI to more of your business systems, or exploring specialised tools for your industry.

Trying things, not yet embedded 15 to 27

You have started using AI in your business and it has produced some wins, but the practice is not yet disciplined. Common gaps at this level: an unclear team policy on what data can go where, subscriptions with no cost-benefit check, or use cases that live in someone's browser tabs rather than in the workflow. A short project can turn ad hoc experimentation into two or three embedded use cases that measurably save time.

Either untouched, or unmanaged 0 to 14

You are either not using AI at all, or using it without the safeguards. Both land here for the same reason: the outcome is unpredictable. Not using AI is a productivity opportunity you are missing. Using AI without a policy, without data governance, and without human review is an exposure risk. The good news is that a small, deliberate project (one use case, one written policy, one right-sized tool) reduces risk and returns hours in weeks, not months.

Wherever you scored, do these three things this month

  1. Pick one specific recurring task and try one AI tool on it for a week. Note what worked, what did not, and where you had to correct the output. Concrete beats abstract.
  2. Write a one-page AI use policy for your team. What tools are approved. What data must never be pasted into a public AI. Who reviews AI output before it reaches a customer.
  3. Check the data protections on the AI tools you already use. Look for a "data processing agreement", a "business" or "team" tier, or a "do not train on my data" setting. Free tiers usually do train on your inputs.
Ready to embed AI properly?

Book a free 30-minute discovery call.

Thirty minutes to talk through where AI could realistically help your business. No obligation. Fixed-price scope within 5 business days if a project fits.

Book at builtbybasecode.com/contact Or email services@builtbybasecode.com · We reply within one business day.
About Built By Base Code. We are a local IT consultancy based in Ballina, serving small businesses across Ballina, Byron, Lismore, Casino, and Tweed. We build cybersecurity, process automation, and cloud infrastructure, including AI integrations wired into the tools you already use. Every project is quoted at a fixed price in writing, and you own the end result outright, with documentation, credentials, and training at handover. No lock-in contracts. We recommend tools that respect your data, and we do not sell you AI you do not need.