AI Experts on retainer versus a full time head of AI
A full time head of AI costs $250,000 or more per year. The retainer is $5,000 a month. Here is how to decide which one fits your business.
A full time head of AI costs $250,000 or more per year and makes sense for businesses with 500 or more employees. For a business with five to 250 employees, that salary is hard to justify and the role is hard to fill.
Proactive AI Partners charges $5,000 per month for AI Experts. The retainer covers up to six workflows, built, implemented and maintained inside your own accounts. You get a senior AI expert embedded in your business without the overhead of a full time hire.
The retainer includes a standing weekly working session plus async access between calls. When models change or prices shift, Proactive AI Partners maintains every system for as long as you run it. A project agency build does not cover maintenance, and a do it yourself approach leaves you on your own when something breaks.
You own every account, workflow and document. Nothing lives in a vendor account. If you ever want to bring the work in house, the hand off documentation lets your team take over without starting from zero.
The decision comes down to size and maintenance. If you have 500 or more employees, hire full time. If you have five to 250, the retainer gives you the same expertise at a fraction of the cost.
Book a strategy call
Talk with Proactive AI Partners about where AI fits in your business. The call is free, and you leave with a clear sense of what to do first.