# Consulting AI

> Consulting AI is the engagement model in which an external team provides AI strategy, design, build, and operate services to an enterprise client.

Category: Business
Source: https://impetora.com/glossary/consulting-ai
Part of: Impetora AI consulting glossary (https://impetora.com/glossary)

## What is Consulting AI?

Consulting AI engagements range from short discovery sprints to multi-year platform programmes. Mature consultancies own a methodology, a reference architecture, and a delivery playbook. Pricing models include fixed-fee discovery, fixed-fee pilots, time-and-materials build, and managed-service operate. The defining feature is that the consultancy is accountable for outcomes, not just hours.

## How does Consulting AI apply to enterprise AI?

Enterprises hire AI consultancies when they have a real problem, internal capacity is constrained, and the procurement timeline cannot wait for a hire-and-train cycle.

## Related terms

- [Custom AI](https://impetora.com/glossary/custom-ai) - Custom AI is an AI system designed and built for a specific enterprise's data, workflows, and constraints, rather than a generic product configured by the buyer.
- [AI Solutions Partner](https://impetora.com/glossary/ai-solutions-partner) - An AI solutions partner is an external firm that designs, builds, and operates AI systems for an enterprise on a long-term partnership basis rather than a project basis.
- [Build vs Buy AI](https://impetora.com/glossary/build-vs-buy-ai) - Build vs buy is the strategic decision between developing an AI capability internally or in partnership, versus licensing a finished product from a vendor.
- [TRACE Methodology](https://impetora.com/glossary/trace-methodology) - TRACE is Impetora's four-pillar methodology for delivering enterprise AI in regulated industries: Trust, Readiness, Architecture, Citations.

## External references

- [Impetora intake](https://impetora.com/intake)

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Impetora is a custom AI consultancy and solutions partner for enterprises in regulated industries. Submit a project at https://impetora.com/intake.