Comparisons
AI agent consultancy vs hiring an in-house AI engineer
A consultancy gets your first agents live in weeks and costs a fraction of a first-year hire. An in-house AI engineer makes sense once you run five or more production agents that need daily attention. Most companies start with a partner, then hire once agents prove their value.
| An AI agent consultancy | An in-house AI engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first working agent | 2 to 4 weeks | 3 to 6 months, including the hiring process |
| First-year cost | A fixed project fee | £70k to £120k salary, plus tooling and management time |
| Experience you draw on | A team that has deployed agents across many companies | One person and the stack they know |
| Main risk | A partner who ships slides instead of software | A bad hire you discover after six months |
| Knowledge left behind | Handover, documentation and team training | Stays in the team, but leaves if they do |
Choose an AI agent consultancy when
- You have no AI hires yet and want results this quarter.
- You need agents across several functions, not one deep system.
- You want to see proof before you commit to headcount.
Choose an in-house AI engineer when
- You already run five or more production agents.
- Agents are your product, not your operations.
- The work needs daily iteration inside one codebase.
Common questions
What does an AI agent consultancy cost?
Most engagements are fixed-fee projects. Alpha X Intelligence deploys working agents in 30 days, and the fee is typically well under the first-year cost of a specialist hire.
Can we do both?
Yes, and it is a common path. A partner ships the first agents and trains your team. You hire once the maintenance load justifies a full-time role.
Who maintains the agents after the project ends?
A good partner hands over documentation and trains your team to run and extend the agents. Ask about handover before you sign.
Want working agents in your business in 30 days? Speak with us, free, for 30 minutes.
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