As someone who works in data and analytics, running a business means wearing many hats. From managing client projects and sales pipelines to handling technical implementations, the demands on my time are endless. One way I’ve reclaimed some of that time is by leveraging AI to streamline and automate routine tasks. Here’s how I’ve used AI—specifically, a conversational assistant—to transform the way I work.

Data Transformation at Scale

When working with complex data pipelines, tasks like transforming database schemas or mapping data types can eat up hours. I’ve used AI to:

• Convert Oracle and SQL Server database definitions to Snowflake’s data types, tailored to my preferences for compatibility with tools like Matillion.

• Automatically reformat and clean text mappings, eliminating issues like trailing spaces that can disrupt data integration.

By offloading these repetitive processes to AI, I’ve reduced the time spent on manual adjustments and ensured consistency across projects.

Automating Blog Post Drafts

Creating content, like this blog post, can be time-consuming. It still feels like cheating but I end up editing so much that I’m letting myself off the hook!

I’ve used AI to:

• Draft posts based on my ideas and notes, providing a solid foundation that I can tweak and personalize.

• Repurpose technical documentation into digestible articles or guides, helping me share insights with clients and peers.

Streamlining Experiments and Tool Ideas

In brainstorming tools and processes, AI has played a role in:

• Generating structured test data for development purposes, which is invaluable for validating data pipelines or prototyping solutions.

• Exploring ideas for consolidating my utilities, like column formatting tools, into cohesive apps for SQL and Matillion workflows.

Why This Matters

AI isn’t just a novelty—it’s a practical tool that has become integral to my daily workflow. By automating repetitive tasks, I’ve freed up time to focus on what matters: delivering value to clients, growing my business, and spending more time with my family.

It also helps me simply make a start - I’ll overthink things a lot when it comes to writing blog posts or experimenting. Having even the smallest starting point is enough to get the momentum I need :-)

If you’re in the data or tech space, or simply looking to make your workflows more efficient, I highly recommend exploring how AI can fit into your toolkit. It might surprise you how much time and energy you can save.

What about you? Have you used AI to streamline your work or business processes? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences!