---
schema: 1
type: term
title: 85% of the way
description: >-
  The share of a task an AI tool should complete on the user's behalf — in this
  channel's material, Granola's stated goal of taking users 85% of the way by
  handling busy work (such as follow-up emails and scheduling spawned from
  meetings), while the work itself and its final spin remain with the user.
canonical: 'https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/explore/term/85-of-the-way-d78d6f73c768'
markdown: >-
  https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/explore/term/85-of-the-way-d78d6f73c768.md
llms: null
parent: 'https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/llms.txt'
channel: everyinc
updated: '2026-10-23T22:12:35.346Z'
language: null
children: []
---


# 85% of the way

Canonical: https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/explore/term/85-of-the-way-d78d6f73c768

Parent: [Channel index](https://liquidgold.cc/channel/everyinc/llms.txt)

## Definition

The share of a task an AI tool should complete on the user's behalf — in this channel's material, Granola's stated goal of taking users 85% of the way by handling busy work (such as follow-up emails and scheduling spawned from meetings), while the work itself and its final spin remain with the user.

In this channel's material, **85% of the way** appears as Granola founder Chris Pedregal's shorthand for the ideal division of labor between an AI tool and its user. He describes Granola's goal as taking users 85% of the way — handling the busy work that *spawns from a meeting* (follow-up emails, scheduling) — while the work itself always comes from you, with your spin on it.The phrase is a deliberate contrast to the “AI agents do everything for you” vision. Chris argues that full delegation is not actually what people want: > What you want is a better version of yourself. The 85% is the AI's share — remove the busy work so your judgment can be applied on what matters — and the remaining portion is intentionally left to the user so the output still carries their perspective.- It sets an explicit **augmentation target**: high enough that the tool removes real drudgery, but short of replacing the person. - It reflects Granola's bet that **80% of the value** users get comes from handling tasks and workflows spawned from a meeting, with the tool positioned as a stepping stone toward being a professional's core tool — like Figma for designers or an IDE for engineers, but for relationship-centered work. - It pairs with Chris's broader claim that products with a real perspective can't focus-group their way to generic output; the user's last 15% is where their *spin* lives.- **85% of the way** = how far the AI tool should take the work; the user supplies the rest. - Grounded in Granola's thesis: automate meeting-spawned busy work, preserve the user's judgment and spin. - Explicitly opposed to the “agents do everything” framing — the goal is *a better version of yourself*, not replacement.