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 7 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 7 days? Speak with us, free, for 30 minutes.
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