Why AI is the Future of OKRs (and Why the Human Touch Still Matters

A few months ago, our small team of five was buzzing.

After reading Measure What Matters and sitting through too many scattered strategy meetings, we decided to implement OKRs. We were excited to finally bring clarity and alignment to our work.

We set one of our first OKRs:

• Objective: Improve product onboarding

• Key Result #1: Increase week-1 activation by 30%

• Key Result #2: Ship interactive onboarding flow by March 1

At our first progress check-in, everyone was energized. Sarah had mocked up new screens. James was digging into Mixpanel data. Priya had outlined friction points in the user journey. It felt like we were finally rowing in the same direction.

But by the second check-in, the momentum had faded.

The dashboard hadn’t been updated in over a week. The onboarding flow was stuck in QA. We couldn't even agree on the baseline activation metric. We still believed in the goal — we just weren’t moving.

Looking back, we didn’t lack motivation. We lacked structure and momentum.

If we’d had AI breaking those Key Results into clear, daily tasks, it would’ve been a completely different experience. Instead of relying on memory or initiative, we would’ve each opened the app and seen:

• “Draft 3 onboarding headlines to A/B test – Due Tuesday”

• “Tag last month’s new user sessions for onboarding drop-off – 2 pts – Due tomorrow”

• “QA walkthrough checklist for new flow – Friday deadline – Priya assigned”

These kinds of bite-sized, AI-suggested tasks would’ve put the entire team into motion automatically. No one would wonder what to do next. There would’ve been visible accountability, tighter feedback loops, and fewer dropped balls.

Progress wouldn’t hinge on energy — it would be built into the process.

🤖 AI-Powered OKRs Keep the Momentum Alive

• Structure: AI translates goals into real work

• Cadence: Daily nudges & reviews ensure consistency

• Inspiration: Stuck? AI suggests next steps based on what’s working

• Accountability: Each team member sees what’s expected — and by when

👥 But It’s Still a Human Game

AI can spark action, but it’s your leadership, judgment, and creativity that make OKRs meaningful. The best results come when AI handles the grunt work — and humans focus on strategy, decisions, and collaboration.

What about you?

Have you experienced the second-check-in slump? What would help your team sustain momentum across a full quarter?

Take a look at our solution OKR Focus to see hAI can enhance your OKRs.ow