Custom AI systems are project-priced, not retainer — scoped to the build rather than a monthly fee. A typical chatbot + RAG pipeline ships in about 6 weeks; multi-agent systems, self-hosted deployments, and enterprise integrations scope separately.
Every engagement starts with an architecture audit (credited to the build if you proceed) where we map your use case to the right toolchain, draft the measurement plan, and flag the 3-5 decisions that determine whether this becomes a production system or a pilot that dies. No build commits until the audit is done — we’d rather disqualify a bad fit than ship an AI system you can’t maintain.
For systems that need ongoing care, an optional maintenance retainer covers eval runs, prompt iteration, model upgrades, and vector store refreshes.