What to check before you buy an AI tool

Every week there is a new AI tool promising to transform your business. Some are genuinely useful. Many are a thin wrapper around a general model with a big price tag attached. Here is a short checklist to tell them apart before you commit.

What problem does it actually solve?

Start with the problem, not the tool. If you cannot describe the specific task it will do and how you will measure whether it worked, you are buying a solution in search of a problem. The best AI tools do one job well. Be wary of anything that claims to do everything.

Where does it get its data?

An AI tool is only as good as the information it can see. Ask what data it needs, where that data lives today, and how it will connect. If the answer involves manually exporting spreadsheets every week, the tool will quietly stop being used within a month.

How does it handle being wrong?

Every AI system gets things wrong sometimes. The question is what happens when it does. Good tools show their working, cite their sources, and keep a human in the loop for anything that matters. Avoid anything that presents guesses as facts with no way to check.

What happens if you leave?

Ask what you keep if you stop paying. Is your data exportable? Are the workflows documented? Lock-in is common and expensive. You want tools you choose to keep because they work, not because you are trapped.

Does it need foundations you do not have yet?

Many tools assume your data is already clean and connected. If it is not, the tool will underperform through no fault of its own. Worth checking honestly before you buy, not after.

If you are weighing up a few options and want a second opinion, that is part of what our AI Strategy Advisory is for. No sales pressure, just an honest read on whether a tool earns its place.