Most AI Tools Don’t Work in the Field

They demo great. But hand them a voice note after a long day on-site — and they fall apart. Here’s how to tell if a tool is actually ready for your workflow.

Author

David Grove
June 16, 2025

AI can feel like a magic trick in a demo.

But try using that same tool:

  • In your truck

  • With 1 bar of signal

  • After a 10-hour day

  • While your phone battery’s dying

It falls apart.

Why?
Because most tools are built for clean conditions — not the real world.

What “field-ready” actually looks like:

  • You can talk to it, not type

  • It handles messy notes without choking

  • It gives you back something useful, not just pretty

Here’s a quick test:

Use a voice note where you ramble. Add 3 half-formed thoughts. Don’t clean it up.
Ask the AI: “Can you turn this into a customer update or a task list for my crew?”

If it gives you gold — keep it.
If it gets confused — it’s not ready.

Coming Up This Week:
– Wednesday: The voice prompt I use after every job site visit
– Friday: A 2-minute AI test to know if your tool is actually helping

Core Takeaway:
🛠️ Real AI isn’t just smart — it’s rugged.
If it can’t handle the way you actually work, it’s not worth your time.

— Dave