The Three Implementation Tiers
Three ways to add AI to a process - very different cost, speed and risk.
Higher rung = more risk and cost ↑
Custom R&D
Bespoke, on your private data. Where the failure rate lives.
Retrofit
AI features in software you already own. sweet spot
Toolkit
Off-the-shelf. Lowest risk, monthly billing. start here
Quick Wins vs Big Wins
Climb only with proof. A quick win takes weeks and proves the approach; a big build takes months, and comes after.
The €50k Threshold
Add up the direct, opportunity and error costs of doing the task by hand. Below about €50k a year (€25k for a startup, €100k+ for a larger firm), a bespoke build is a science experiment.
When to use Deciding how to build. Most first pilots are Toolkit pilots.
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