You’re sitting at your desk. Arms folded. Head tilted. Watching your AI tool almost do what you hoped it would.
You think you’ve cracked it. You prompt. You test. You wait.
And then…meh.
Not what you expected. Another metaphorical paper ball tossed into the bin.
At this point, we mostly agree AI is a fantastic time-saver when used well. But what does that actually mean?
I’m sharing three real-life examples: the good, the bad and the ugly, and I’m deliberately sharing use cases that can be tested on free AI tools, so they’re accessible to bid teams without big tech budgets.
- The Good: Time-saving, low-risk, high-value uses
Drafting bid answers, polishing executive summaries, tailoring content to a client’s objectives, or chasing inputs and CVs are where AI really earns its keep. It’s the moment AI starts to feel like you’re living the dream. These are the gold use cases: practical, low risk, and genuinely helpful.
- The Bad: Tempting shortcuts that dilute quality
AI-generated CV headshots are cheap, fast, and tempting. But faces are where AI struggles most. In bids, clients are choosing people as much as the company logo. We’ve already lived through the “fake news” era of the internet. Now we are entering a “fake faces” era. As AI becomes more common, trust becomes harder to earn. AI-generated headshots rarely help and can quietly undermine confidence. Is it time to choose real people over perfect images?
- The Ugly: Treating client feedback like data
AI transcripts of client feedback calls are now commonplace. Turning those transcripts into something meaningful is where the trouble starts. Client feedback lives in tone, hesitation, and what is left unsaid, and words capture a small part of what is being communicated. Natural language processing, the technology needed to interpret this properly, just isn’t there yet. And anyone who’s tested this use case will know the time you thought you’d save disappears faster than a Subject Matter Expert when you mention an urgent bid.
Practical Takeaways
Keep a simple spreadsheet of AI use case ideas and sort them by impact and likelihood of success. Start with the high-impact, high-likelihood ones to build quick wins and momentum.
Using AI is fast becoming a core bid skill. And if you’re just starting out, stick with it. In my experience, only around 3/10 ideas are worth pursuing, and that’s completely normal. Trust the process, stay curious, and don’t forget to enjoy the experimenting along the way.
Kirsty Isles
Kirsty Isles is a Business Development Content Team Manager with 20 years of experience. Recognised for her collaborative leadership and people-first approach, Kirsty combines legal training, project management expertise, and hands-on experience of AI integration to bring both strategic insight and practical delivery. She is a forward-thinking partner committed to helping organisations unlock efficiency, boost bid success, and empower their people.
