Thinking about buying AI for your business? Don't spend thousands before asking these five critical questions — from data security to who you call when things go wrong.
Before You Buy AI: 5 Questions to Ask First
Thinking about buying AI for your business? Stop. Before you spend thousands, make sure you've thought it through.
Start With the Basics
Before you purchase any AI solution, make sure you have written requirements and have thought through your:
- Inputs — What data goes in, where does it come from, and is it clean?
- Processes — How will AI fit into your existing workflows?
- Outputs — What do you expect to get out, and in what format?
Get these down on paper first. Vendors can't solve problems you haven't defined.
Five Things to Consider Before You Buy
1️⃣ Data Security
Where does your data live? Who can access it? Is it encrypted in transit and at rest? Does the AI provider train their models on your data — or keep it private? If you're in a regulated industry (HR, payroll, healthcare, finance), this is non-negotiable.
2️⃣ Transaction Volume
How many transactions do you need — daily, monthly, and annually? AI pricing is often usage-based. Underestimating volume leads to sticker shock; overestimating means you'll overpay. Map your real workload before signing anything.
3️⃣ Cost of AI Agent Hours
AI agents aren't free even when they're "included." Understand the cost per agent hour, per task, and per workflow. Factor in the hidden costs: integration time, maintenance, retraining, and the people-hours required to manage the system.
4️⃣ Data Storage Requirements
AI generates data — logs, outputs, intermediate results, training artifacts. How much storage will you need? What's the cost to store it? Where is it stored, and for how long? Storage costs compound over time.
5️⃣ When Something Goes Wrong… Who Do You Call?
This is the question most buyers forget. When the AI hallucinates, when the integration breaks, when your data is exposed, when the vendor changes their pricing model — who picks up the phone? Do you have a partner who can help, or are you on your own?
Call Boomer Technology Group Before You Buy
We help businesses select, implement, and support AI solutions that actually deliver results — not just vendor hype.
- Phone: 732-800-2058
- Web: BTGSI.com
We'll help you choose the right AI solution for your business.
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