7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an AI Automation Agency

The AI automation space is full of agencies overselling what a weekend LangChain project can do. Ask these questions before signing anything — including us.

1. What happens if the AI gets it wrong?

Every AI system makes mistakes sometimes. A serious vendor will explain the error-handling and human-checkpoint design, not just the happy path.

2. Is the pricing fixed-scope or open-ended hourly?

Open-ended hourly billing on AI projects is a common way costs balloon. Ask for a fixed quote tied to a defined scope.

3. Who owns the code and the data?

Confirm in writing that you own the resulting code, prompts, and any fine-tuned models — not the vendor.

4. What's the actual tech stack?

"We use AI" isn't an answer. Ask specifically: which model provider, which orchestration framework, where data is stored, and whether it's a wrapper around a no-code tool or custom-built.

5. Can I see a real, working demo — not just slides?

A working prototype, even a rough one, tells you more than any pitch deck.

6. What's the security and data-handling policy?

Ask where your data is processed, whether it's used to train external models, and what encryption/access controls are in place.

7. What does support look like after launch?

AI systems need monitoring — models drift, APIs change, edge cases appear. Ask what post-launch support is included and for how long.

Our answers

Fixed-scope pricing, human checkpoints on anything above a risk threshold, you own all code and data, working prototypes before final payment, and 2–4 weeks of post-launch support included depending on package. Happy to answer any of these live on a call.