Agency comparison · AI development
AI development agency vs
In-house team.
A good agency ships your first AI feature in a quarter and trains your team to take it over. After that, in-house wins for ongoing iteration.
ServiceAI development
Best forDecision framework
When each wins · 01
Pick by scope.
When AI development agency wins
AI development agency
You're shipping the first AI feature, you don't have evals or RAG experience, you need it in 8-12 weeks.
When In-house team wins
In-house team
AI is core to the product, you've already shipped one, and the work will be ongoing.
Factor-by-factor · 02
Direct comparison.
| Factor | AI development agency | In-house team |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first ship | Faster | Slower (hiring + ramp) |
| Long-term cost | Higher per month | Lower at scale |
| Knowledge retention | Handoff required | Native |
| Existing team strain | Low | High |
| Hiring risk | None | Major (AI engineers are scarce) |
| Best for | First feature | Ongoing AI roadmap |
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