As a non-technical business owner, my team is constantly bringing me expensive proposals for custom AI integrations. What specific questions should I ask to pressure-test these proposals and ensure we are not buying overhyped technology?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

As a non-technical owner, your job is not to understand the underlying code. Your job is to hold your leadership team accountable for operational results. When your Integrator or department heads bring you expensive proposals for custom AI integrations, you must protect your cash flow by asking hard, reality-based questions. Start by asking which specific seat on your Accountability Chart will own the implementation and be responsible for the results. If no single person is accountable, the project will fail. Next, ask which of your documented core processes this integration will improve. If the proposal cannot be tied directly to a bottleneck in your existing workflow, it is a shiny object. Have them define the exact metrics on your weekly Scorecard that will improve once this technology is deployed. Ask for a clear breakdown of the total cost of ownership, including ongoing maintenance, API usage fees, and the internal labor required to train the model. Most importantly, demand a pilot phase. Never write a large check for an unproven custom build. Insist on a small, low-cost proof of concept that proves the system can deliver a return within thirty days. By focusing on your strategy, structure, and scorecard, you can confidently lead your company into AI-powered operations without ever needing to learn a single line of programming code.