Self-service AI is genuinely good. That's not the problem.
The $30-$100/month AI platforms are capable, improving, and for some businesses exactly right.
Distinction
The distinction is access versus adoption. A subscription gives access to capable technology. Adoption, selected, implemented, supervised, measured, and improved for your specific business, is a separate job.
Who fits
Self-service is right for you if
- You enjoy configuring tools
- Workflows are simple
- Volume is low
- An unnoticed error for a week costs little
- Your time is worth more than the fee
- An unanswered lead or broken workflow has real cost
- You want a human accountable for output
- You want proof it's working