EXECUTIVE INTELLIGENCE
AI Build vs. Buy What No One Is Telling You The uncomfortable truths from someone who's done both
87% of enterprise AI projects never make it to production
And of those that do? The average "buy" solution costs 3.2× the initial quote after integrations, customizations, and data pipeline work.
01 ■■ THE HIDDEN TRUTH
"Buy" is never plug-and-play
Every off-the-shelf AI solution requires 3-6 months of data pipeline work before it's useful. Custom integrations typically cost 2-4× the license fee. Your vendor won't tell you this.
02 ■ THE OWNERSHIP RISK
"Build" costs less than you think
With modern APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS), you can build production AI in weeks, not years. The real cost isn't engineering—it's knowing what to build and maintaining it.
03 ■■ THE REAL DANGER
Vendor lock-in is the new technical debt
When you "buy," your AI strategy becomes their roadmap. Your data gets trained into their models. Switching costs compound annually. You're not a customer—you're a captive.
"
The question isn't build vs. buy. It's which capabilities are your competitive moat—and which are commodities. — Strategic AI Framework
KEY INSIGHT
Build what differentiates you. Buy what's table stakes. The companies winning at AI understand this distinction.
■ Is your company treating AI as a strategic weapon—or just another SaaS subscription? The answer determines who wins the next decade.
■ Drop your build vs. buy decision framework in the comments
YOUR ACTION ITEMS
your AI stack: Map what you "own" vs. what owns you. Calculate true 1 Audit switching costs.
your moat: Which AI capabilities would hurt competitors if you built them 2 Identify better?
small, own the core: Build one proprietary AI workflow. Learn what "build" 3 Start actually means in 2025.
JJ Shay AI Strategy • M&A • $4B+ in Transactions Helping executives navigate AI decisions with diligence, not hype.
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