What Questions Should I Ask Before Buying AI Software?

The AI software market is full of tools that look impressive in demos and disappoint in deployment. The questions that separate serious solutions from expensive disappointments are the ones that go beyond features and into implementation, accountability, and edge cases. Key questions to ask any AI software vendor before signing: 1. What specific workflow does this replace or improve, and can you show me that workflow in a business like mine? 2. How does this integrate with your specific CRM, booking system, and messaging tools? Who builds that integration? 3. What happens when the AI gives a wrong answer to a customer? How is that caught and corrected? 4. What data does the AI access? Is it stored? Where? Is it compliant with GDPR? 5. What is not included in the price? What are the ongoing costs after setup? 6. Who is responsible for maintaining the AI as your business changes? 7. What does success look like after 90 days and how is it measured? See also AI implementation risks and what a realistic implementation timeline looks like.