Ten questions to ask an AI vendor before you sign
A good demo shows what a product can do. These questions show what it will do inside your organization, with your data, on an ordinary day.
By the Halden editorial team
Data and trust
Where does our information go?
Ask where data is stored and processed, who can access it, how long it is kept, and whether it is used to train the vendor's or anyone else's models. Ask for the answers in writing, in the contract rather than only on a web page.
- Is customer data used for training, and can we opt out?
- Where is data processed and stored?
- What security reviews or certifications can you share?
Quality and change
How will we know it keeps working?
Models and features change. Ask how updates are announced, whether you can test before they apply, and what happens to your workflows if behaviour shifts.
Ask how the vendor measures quality, and ask to see failures as well as successes.
- How are model changes communicated and tested?
- What are the known limits, and how do you report them?
- What support and uptime commitments apply?
Fit with the work
Will our people actually use it?
Invite the people who will do the work to try the product on real tasks, not on the vendor's scripted example. Their reaction is more informative than any feature list.
Ask what integration and training the product needs, and who will carry the effort.
Leaving well
What if we need to stop?
Ask how you can export your data and configurations, what happens when the contract ends, and whether you are tied to a particular model or format. A vendor confident in its value will answer plainly.
Agreeing the exit plan up front also clarifies who owns what you have built.
A next step
Turn this into a decision for your organization.
Explore how AI Advisory works with leaders and teams, or start with a short reflection on where you are today.