How to hire an AI consultant
Whether you hire someone down the road or across the country, the questions that matter are the same. Here are the seven I'd ask, including of me.
Does it need to be local?
Less than you'd think. The work that matters most is sitting with the people who do the job and watching how they really do it. That happens fine on a shared screen, as long as the consultant is willing to spend the time.
What matters more is whether they'll build the thing and stay until your team can run it.
Seven questions to ask
1. What will be running when you leave? Good answer: one named process, done by AI, run by your team. Weak answer: a roadmap.
2. Who writes down how the work gets done? Good answer: they do, with the people who do the work. If they expect you to hand over documentation, the hardest part is still yours.
3. Which AI tools do you use? Good answer: whatever fits, starting with what you already pay for. Be careful with anyone who only ever recommends one vendor.
4. What happens when the AI gets something wrong? Good answer: a person checks the output before anything reaches a customer, at least at first.
5. Can my team change it without you? Good answer: yes, because the rules are written in plain language. If every change needs the consultant, you're renting, not owning.
6. Can I see work you've done? Good answer: specific results, honestly described. Mine are a 25-person marketing agency and a software startup. Neither has an hours-saved number, because we didn't measure one.
7. What size of company do you work with? Good answer: a clear range. Mine is teams of 5 to 200.
How I'd answer the first one
At the startup, a founder who doesn't code runs her own AI sales pipeline. It runs three times a day, drafts every follow-up and sends nothing on its own. At the agency, 22 teammates are set up, sharing 16 team processes. In both cases the team runs it now, not me.
A good first call
Bring one piece of work you'd love off your team's plate. A good consultant will ask how it's done today, who does it best and what a good result looks like, and tell you honestly whether AI can take it.
Common questions
Do I need an AI consultant near me?
Not necessarily. Most of the work is understanding how your team does a job and building around it, which works well remotely if the consultant puts in the time.
What should an AI consultant deliver?
A real process running on AI, owned by your team, with rules they can read and change.
How do I know if a consultant is any good?
Ask what will be running when they leave, and ask to see past work with honest results.
What does an AI consultant cost?
It depends on the scope. Ask for one process, one team, priced up front, before committing to anything bigger.