Insights, guides, and best practices from the AI Makers team
Business StrategyTen real custom AI development firms compared for 10-500 person companies: who each one is best for, engagement model, region — and an honest disclosure that it's our list.
Business StrategyAnthropic's new flagship model is the biggest AI release of 2026 for business buyers. What actually changed, what it makes possible for SMB custom AI, and why provider-agnostic systems inherit the upgrade free.
How-To GuidesMost custom AI briefs fail before a line of code is written. The six decisions that define any AI system, how to write a one-page spec, and what a serious fixed-price quote looks like.
Business StrategyA practical case for the boutique AI agency model — for 10-500 person companies that have outgrown SaaS but don't need a £500K Big-4 transformation. Real costs, real timelines, honest tradeoffs.
Business StrategyMost custom AI estimates are guesses. Here's the 5-step framework I use to give clients a realistic ballpark in 30 minutes — based on 50+ shipped projects.
Business StrategyReal pricing for custom AI agents in 2026. What an agent costs (€8K–€80K), what changes the number, and how agents differ from chatbots and automation projects on cost.
Business StrategyA practical comparison of custom AI development against ChatGPT Enterprise, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI Agent Builder and other off-the-shelf tools. When custom is worth it — and when it's not.
Business StrategyHire ML engineers or work with an AI agency? A practical breakdown of cost, time, risk, IP and how the decision actually plays out — from someone who has shipped both ways.
How-To GuidesA practical step-by-step for mid-sized businesses (50–500 staff) starting their first custom AI project. From shortlist to scope to live, in 90 days, without the consultancy theatre.
RegionalBespoke AI software development for UK and European businesses. GDPR-native, EU AI Act-aware, EUR / GBP invoicing, EU data residency. What you actually pay for and what to avoid.
AI DevelopmentWe just shipped agency-os — a deployable AI ops platform for agencies. Your brand, your playbook, your client's data. Live demo at agency.aimakers.co.
