A simple introduction to AI for optometry practice owners: a practical conversation with Dr. Mick Kling

AI can feel overwhelming, overhyped, and impossible to keep up with — especially when every conversation seems to swing between "this changes everything" and "this is all just noise." In this episode of 20/20 Money, I'm joined once again by Dr. Mick Kling for a practical conversation about where AI is actually useful for practice owners right now — without the doom-and-gloom, hype, or technical jargon.

Mick shares how he's been thoughtfully experimenting with AI inside his own workflows to improve efficiency, analyze practice financials, model business decisions, and simplify strategic planning. More importantly, we discuss how practice owners can start using these tools in approachable, low-risk ways without needing to become programmers, coders, or "tech people."

We also discuss:

Why AI should be viewed more as an assistant than a replacement

The biggest mistakes owners make when using AI tools

How Mick built AI-powered financial analysis tools without coding experience

The "LENS" framework for creating better prompts and better outputs

Practical ways to use AI for business planning, associate hiring decisions, and cash flow analysis

Why dashboards and reporting may evolve dramatically over the next few years

The importance of human connection in a profession increasingly influenced by technology

How to begin experimenting with AI without getting completely overwhelmed by it

As always, we close the conversation with practical NBSs (Next Best Steps) for listeners who want to begin thoughtfully integrating AI into their practice and business workflows.