AI tools can assist defined tasks, but a task is only part of a role. This guide identifies seven workflows to evaluate. It does not establish that a business can replace an employee, achieve a salary saving or delegate responsibility for an outcome. We have no published comparative test or staffing dataset for those claims.
1. Draft a code change
Cursor describes code editing and agents on its provider site. Try a small backlog item with acceptance checks. Review the diff, run meaningful tests and inspect permissions and dependencies. A generated test is not proof that the code meets the requirement; someone must assess what the test actually checks.
2. Answer a bounded support question
Intercom links to Fin's customer-agent offering. Use representative questions grounded in approved documentation. Include an unanswerable request and an account-sensitive problem. Count correct answers, wrong answers and human handoffs in your own trial. Define who can review and correct the knowledge source.
3. Prepare visual drafts
Midjourney and Canva provide candidates for generated imagery and design work. Their image-generation and design-suite information establishes scope. Review brand fit, accuracy, output dimensions and rights. A collection of attractive images does not supply a coherent brand system or validate product usability.
4. Structure a writing draft
Claude describes writing assistance on its provider site. Supply a brief, source material and the intended reader. Check every factual assertion and rewrite material that misses the argument or tone. Record the correction work instead of assuming a fixed time reduction. The author remains responsible for the published words.
5. Connect a repeated operational task
Zapier describes app-trigger and action workflows on its product site. Start with a reversible sandbox example, such as creating a task from a form. Check duplicates, retries, unavailable services and credentials. An automation needs an owner and a way to detect failure; connecting two apps does not remove those responsibilities.
6. Assemble an edit
Descript offers audio and video editing described on its product site. Try a transcript correction, a cut and a captioned export using your recording. Review pacing, caption accuracy and the actual delivery file. Keep specialist editing work separate from repetitive assembly rather than declaring every project covered.
7. Lay out a presentation
Gamma describes presentation creation on its provider site. Give it approved content and inspect the structure, numerical claims, charts and export. Check whether a colleague can revise the result in the required format. A generated layout does not verify an investor narrative or the accuracy of a sales claim.
Evaluate work without assuming a staffing conclusion
- Define the task, acceptable result and boundaries of what the tool may do.
- Use non-sensitive examples or confirm that your data handling requirements are met.
- Include failures, review effort and corrective work in the record.
- Quote subscription, usage, integration and maintenance costs for the chosen plan.
- Give the workflow an accountable owner, escalation route and stopping condition.
Do not compare a headline subscription with a salary as if they deliver the same scope. Roles include judgement, coordination, relationships and responsibility as well as execution. A useful tool may free attention for another task, require additional review, or fail to meet the requirement. Each is a valid outcome of an evaluation.
Use the local evaluation worksheet to preserve your requirements, evidence and cost scenarios. The creator workflow guide and coding assistant guide provide more detailed checks. Choose from results you can inspect, not an unsupported promise about replacing a team.