Embedding Copilot for Everyday Efficiency
The Challenge
Pitalia wanted to make day-to-day tasks easier while saving time. The goal was clear: identify practical ways to leverage AI to reduce manual effort in everyday work and free up time for higher-value activities.
“When we first spoke with Pitalia, they were clear that efficiency was a priority, but we also needed to understand how their team actually worked day-to-day to make AI adoption practical.”
— Chad Turner, First AI Adoption Manager
While some team members had prior experience with ChatGPT and were curious about its potential, there was still understandable caution about how AI could fit into an organisation-wide workflow.
This balance of curiosity and caution shaped the project’s starting point.
Faheem Musa, Investment Manager at Pitalia, explained that openness to new technology, and setting clear expectations was key to getting the team onboard.
“It’s important that people understand what AI can and can’t do, and that it’s here to help, not replace,”
Getting Started with Copilot
To decide where to begin, Chad and the First AI team focused on high-impact areas that consumed the most time, including email management, meeting preparation, and follow-ups.
The process started with one-to-one needs assessments and team workshops. Chad’s approach was deliberately personal, spending time with individuals to understand workloads, team culture, and how different people approached their day-to-day responsibilities. This human-first discovery ensured that Copilot use cases were tailored to Pitalia’s real workflows rather than theoretical scenarios.
The sessions surfaced four key areas where Copilot could deliver the biggest gains:
- Email management: Drafting, summarising, and prioritising emails.
- Meeting preparation: Generating agendas, briefing notes, and follow-ups.
- Reports: Creating and formatting regular updates.
- Action tracking: Recording decisions and next steps from meetings.
“Our focus was always on practical, day-to-day applications. By tackling repetitive tasks first, we could show tangible benefits quickly and help the team build confidence with AI.”
— Chad Turner
Faheem highlighted one small but powerful example: automated meeting notes. “It’s saved a lot of time and allowed participants to be fully present in meetings,”. Copilot also became a helpful tool for researching and summarising the 12 key screening questions used by the investment team, drawing insights from internal files and online sources to speed up decision-making.
Shifting Mindsets
At the start of the project, there was a natural sense of caution around AI adoption. While curiosity existed, team members were unsure how Copilot might affect their workloads and whether it would genuinely make life easier.
As the rollout progressed, small but tangible benefits began to emerge. Routine tasks were completed faster, meeting preparation and follow-ups were streamlined, and information sharing across the team became more efficient. These early wins helped ease initial concerns and demonstrated the real-world value of AI in everyday work.
Adoption wasn’t uniform. Some team members embraced Copilot fully, integrating it into emails, reporting, and action tracking, while others were slower to adopt or paused their use entirely. This variation reflected what Faheem described as “the human side of efficiency”, noting that success depends heavily on personal attitudes and whether people “take to the tech.”
“We always tell clients that adoption is a journey. Some people take to AI immediately, others more slowly, but even small wins can help shift mindsets and build openness to technology.”
— Chad Turner
Over time, this practical, people-first approach prompted a cultural shift within Pitalia. Curiosity and experimentation began to replace caution, with the team becoming more open to exploring how AI could make their work lives easier.
“Chad and the First AI team guided us every step of the way, providing practical tips, step-by-step support, and follow-ups that made embedding Copilot into our daily workflows seamless.”
— Faheem Musa, Investment Manager
Results & Value
Working with First AI uncovered multiple opportunities to save time and improve efficiency across everyday workflows:
Saved time:
Up to 4.5 hours per week through reduced admin and faster follow-ups.
Freed up focus:
Routine tasks like meeting prep, note-taking, and research were streamlined, allowing more time for higher-value work.
Improved collaboration:
Faster summaries and action tracking enabled smoother information sharing and better meeting outcomes.
“The biggest success has been seeing how small efficiency improvements accumulate, easing daily task flow and making routine work less burdensome.”
— Faheem Musa
“The biggest success has been seeing how small efficiency improvements accumulate, easing daily task flow and making routine work less burdensome.”
— Faheem Musa
Chad summarised the impact simply: “Even a few hours saved each week can have a huge impact over time. It’s about making everyday work less of a chore so teams can focus on higher-value tasks.”
Looking ahead, Faheem believes AI will continue to play a growing role in day-to-day operations: “I think it will make people more efficient, but a lot still depends on personal attitudes and whether people take to the tech.”
He also pointed to financial modelling and presentation formatting as two areas where future AI improvements could deliver even greater gains.
AI Adoption, Key Takeaways
1. Start with high-impact, everyday tasks.
Focus on routine activities; like emails, meeting prep, and reporting, where AI can deliver immediate, tangible benefits.
2. Take a personalised, people-first approach.
One-to-one assessments reveal how individuals work, their comfort with technology, and the team’s culture, ensuring tools fit real needs.
3. Provide guided, hands-on support.
Expert-led workshops and follow-ups make adoption practical and build confidence to experiment safely.
4. Value small, incremental wins.
Early efficiencies may seem minor, but over time they compound, building trust in AI and momentum for wider adoption.
5. Embed AI thoughtfully into workflows.
Treat AI as part of the daily process, not a separate task. This supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and sustainable efficiency.
6. Respect varied adoption rates.
Teams and individuals adopt at different speeds. Understanding people and culture helps encourage uptake without forcing it, creating lasting change.
“Start with your everyday, repetitive tasks and get hands-on guidance from experts.”
— Faheem Musa, Investment Manager