Choosing a consultant
AI buyer's guidebook for UK businesses
A guidebook for UK businesses buying AI help, from naming the problem to contracts, security questions and life after go-live.
Topic · 18 articles
Large organisations
Businesses and organisations with 250 or more employees, including public bodies.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 6 of 7
AI consultant vs agency vs freelancer: which fits?
AI consultant, AI automation agency or freelance AI consultant? How they differ in cost, scope and risk, and which kind of help your project needs.
Working in AI
AI consultant's guidebook: scoping, pricing and ethics
A guidebook for AI consultants working with UK businesses, covering scoping, pricing approaches, clear proposals, ethics and honest evidence.
AI in practice
AI for large organisations and public bodies
AI for large organisations with 250+ staff and public bodies: buying through frameworks such as G-Cloud, supplier security checks, board oversight and AI NEDs.
AI roles and leadership
AI non-executive director: when your board needs one
When an AI non-executive director makes sense for a UK business, what to look for, the cheaper alternatives, and how to find and brief one.
Choosing a consultant
Security questions to ask an AI supplier or consultant
The security questions to ask an AI supplier or consultant before you sign, with what good and worrying answers look like.
AI roles and leadership
Board oversight of AI: a plain guide for SME boards
How a small or mid-sized board can oversee AI in plain terms, with questions to ask, a simple AI register, risk appetite and regular reporting.
Choosing a consultant
Build, buy or bring in help: choosing your AI route
Check the AI in tools you already pay for first. When to buy a product, build something custom, or bring in AI consulting services.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 4 of 7
How much does an AI consultant cost in the UK?
Dated UK day rates and typical small-business AI spend from named sources, and what that budget buys from an AI consultant.
Choosing a consultant
How to avoid AI lock-in when you hire outside help
What AI lock-in looks like for a small business, and the questions about your data, exports and handover to settle before you sign anything.
Working in AI
How to become an AI non-executive director
How to become an AI non-executive director in the UK, from routes in and what boards expect, to time, liability and handling conflicts if you also consult.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 7 of 7
How to check an AI consultant's credentials
How to check an AI consultant's experience, references and case studies before you sign, and which claims are worth checking first.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 1 of 7
How to choose an AI consultant
How to choose an AI consultant or AI consultancy in the UK: define the problem, compare fairly and start with a small, paid first project.
Choosing a consultant
How to tell if an AI demo will work for your business
A polished demo shows an AI tool can work, not that it will work on your data. How to test a demo properly before you sign anything.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 5 of 7
How to write an AI project brief
A one-page brief gets you better proposals and fairer quotes. What to put in each section, with a free template to download.
Choosing a consultant
How will your AI consultant measure success?
The questions to ask before an AI project starts about baselines, measures and review dates, so you and your consultant agree what success means.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 2 of 7
Questions to ask an AI consultant before you hire
Before you hire an AI consultant, ask these questions. They separate a good adviser from a good salesperson, with what a strong answer sounds like.
Choosing a consultant · Guide 3 of 7
Red flags when hiring an AI consultant
Warning signs that an AI consultant is overselling, under-qualified or about to lock you in, and what to do when you spot one.