Honest assessment of where AI actually adds value vs where it's just marketing buzzwords. Start simple, scale smart.
Your village strategy is brilliant BECAUSE it's simple.
Don't let AI complicate what works. AI should enhance, not replace, the core value.
AI is a tool, not the product.
Honest assessment - these are worth building
Instead of manually writing descriptions, use LLM to generate from real data:
❌ Manual Way:
You write: "Coffee Lab is a cozy cafe with specialty coffee, WiFi, and outdoor seating..."
Time: 10 minutes per business
✅ AI Way:
"Locals love the flat white here. Busy mornings, quiet afternoons. Great for remote work with reliable WiFi."
Time: 5 seconds per business
MVP Implementation:
async function generateBusinessSummary(businessData) {
const prompt = `
Create a 2-sentence local guide description for:
Name: ${businessData.name}
Type: ${businessData.category}
Reviews say: ${businessData.topReviews}
Tags: ${businessData.tags}
Write like a local recommending to a friend.
Focus on what makes it special and who it's for.
`;
const response = await claude.messages.create({
model: 'claude-sonnet-4-20250514',
max_tokens: 200,
messages: [{ role: 'user', content: prompt }]
});
return response.content[0].text;
}
£0.16
Total cost for 80 businesses
13 hours
Time saved vs manual
HUGE
Value for scaling
❌ Robot search:
"restaurant italian"
✅ Human search:
"romantic dinner spot not too expensive"
"somewhere with good coffee and WiFi for working"
"kid-friendly pub with outdoor seating"
Query: "romantic dinner under £50"
LLM interprets:
Returns: 3 perfect matches ranked by relevance
£0.01
Cost per search
Medium
Complexity
HIGH
User value (feels like magic)
After you have usage data, AI learns patterns and suggests relevant discoveries.
Example:
"Sarah visits coffee shops every Tuesday morning. New quiet cafe just opened - perfect for your work sessions!"
When: After 3-6 months of data
Validates hidden item discoveries by recognizing actual locations via camera.
Why it matters:
Cost: ~£0.001 per scan
AI scrapes and synthesizes content from multiple sources automatically.
Scale benefit:
5 villages = 400 businesses
Manual: 66 hours
AI: 35 minutes + review
This is how you scale without hiring a team
Predicts optimal times to notify users about offers at slow periods.
Example:
"Coffee Lab is quiet this afternoon. Free upgrade 2-4pm. Help support local!"
Helps businesses fill slow periods
Example conversation:
User opens app in Lechlade:
"Hi! I'm your Lechlade guide. What are you in the mood for?"
User types:
"coffee and somewhere to work"
AI responds:
"Coffee Lab has the best WiFi and quietest spot is the back corner.
They're not busy right now (Tuesdays never are).
Or if you want more space, the library cafe just got new desks and
is basically empty this time of day.
Both have the free pastry offer today!"
Cost: ~£0.05 per conversation
Don't waste time on these - they add no real value
Bad idea: AI creates fake photos of businesses
Why: Users want REAL photos. Trust matters in villages.
Better: Use actual photos from business or users
Bad idea: "Chat with our AI assistant!"
Why: Users just want to find a place, not chat
Better: Smart search that understands natural language
Bad idea: Marketing buzzwords without real value
Why: Users don't care about AI, they care about results
Better: Use AI behind the scenes, don't promote it
Bad idea: "AI predicts where you want to go next"
Why: Creepy + you don't have enough data in a village
Better: Simple personalization based on saves/check-ins
1. Business summaries
From reviews + data
Cost: £0.002/business = £0.16 total
Saves: 13 hours
2. Natural language search
Understand user intent
Cost: £0.01/search
Value: Users find what they want
Total AI cost for MVP: £50-100/month
3. Smart notifications
"Quiet time at X, special offer" based on patterns
4. Better search understanding
"romantic date spot" → correct results with context
5. Automated content updates
Re-generate summaries monthly, incorporate new reviews
Total AI cost: £200-300/month
6. Personalized recommendations
Based on check-ins, saves, searches
7. AR photo recognition
Validate hidden item discoveries, prevent cheating
8. Predictive features
Best time to visit, trending spots
Total AI cost: £500-800/month
80 businesses, 50 users, 500 searches/month
Less than one coffee! ☕
5 villages, 400 businesses, 500 users, 5000 searches/month
Less than hiring someone for 1 day! 💼
1. Use AI for business summaries ✅
You already proved this works. Saves massive time. Professional quality.
2. Use AI for smart search ✅
Differentiates from Google Maps. Small cost, huge value. Users feel understood.
3. That's it for MVP ⚠️
Don't overcomplicate. Validate the core first. Add more AI later.
The village strategy works because it's SIMPLE.
AI should make it better, not more complicated.
(No AI needed yet)
(Once core works)
(What actually matters)
AI is the cherry on top.
Get the cake right first. 🎂
You avoided AI for years. That was probably smart - most "AI" apps are bullshit.
But now:
✅ Saves you time (summaries)
✅ Makes users happier (smart search)
✅ Helps you scale (automated curation)
❌ "AI-powered" buzzwords
❌ Complex features nobody needs
❌ Replacing human judgment
You've been thinking about this since 2018.
You've got the village strategy figured out.
Now add AI as a force multiplier, not a distraction.
🚀