The AI Territory – A Tool for Strategic Planning

Ray Poynter, 16 August 2025

In the fast-moving world of AI, organisations often struggle to decide which initiatives to prioritise. The opportunities seem endless, yet resources are limited, and different parts of the business may disagree on what matters most.

To cut through this, I use a framework I call The AI Territory. It adapts classic strategy tools (such as the Eisenhower Box and Value–Effort matrix) to the specific challenges of AI adoption.

How it Works

The AI Territory is a simple two-by-two grid that plots AI initiatives across two dimensions:

• Desire to Automate (Y-axis): How much people want the task automated, capturing not just enthusiasm, but also resistance where automation is not desired.

• Possibility to Automate (X-axis): How feasible it is with today’s technology, considering readiness, effort, and risk.

Four Strategic Zones

When you map initiatives, they fall into four zones:

• Sweet Spot (High Desire, Highly Possible): Quick wins that deliver immediate value and build momentum.

• Aspirational (High Desire, Less Possible): The “big bets”. Scale back to 80% solutions with current tools, so you’re ready to move when AI advances — which could be next month.

• Dissonance (Low Desire, Highly Possible): Technically easy but not wanted. This signals tension, stemming from fears of job loss, a lack of awareness, or an undervaluation of the task. Leadership must open a dialogue here.

• Distraction (Low Desire, Less Possible): Low benefit, high effort. These projects drain resources and should be avoided.

Red and Blue Views

A powerful extension is to map two sets of Desire scores:

• Blue (senior management)

• Red (the wider team)

When Red and Blue align, the path forward is clear. But when they diverge, that gap reveals a strategic challenge that must be addressed before progress is possible.

I find The AI Territory invaluable for helping my clients bring clarity, prioritisation, and alignment to their AI strategies.

What do you think? Where do you see the most significant Red–Blue gaps in your organisation?

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