A lot of 'AI companies' will say yes to any AI request, whether or not it's actually the right tool for the problem. A good one starts by asking whether AI is even necessary.
Here's the honest checklist — including the question that should come before all the others.
Is AI actually needed?
Sometimes a simple rule or form solves it faster and cheaper.
What task should it solve?
'Add AI' isn't a task — 'answer customer questions about X' is.
What information does it need?
AI is only as good as the data it can actually access.
What systems should it connect to?
Useful AI usually needs to talk to your existing tools.
What actions can it perform?
Answering questions is different from taking real actions — know the line.
What requires human approval?
Good AI systems know what they shouldn't decide alone.
Privacy & security
Where does your data go, and who can see it?
Reliability
What happens when the AI gets something wrong?
Cost
AI usage costs scale with volume — understand that before committing.
Measurable business value
It should save time, reduce cost, or improve an outcome — not just exist.
We don't start by asking which technology to use. We start by asking what you're actually trying to achieve.
Be wary of anyone who recommends AI before understanding your problem — the right answer is sometimes 'you don't need this yet', and a trustworthy team will say so.
Comparing AI companies? Tell us the problem you're trying to solve and we'll tell you honestly whether AI is the right tool.
