Tim Oates

How to Know When You Need an AI Expert vs DIY

Knowledge is power. Knowledge is important in AI because it takes knowledge to effectively deploy AI solutions, with the emphasis on the word effectively. Let me digress with a brief anecdote to make the point: 

My front yard and my neighbor’s front yard both looked bad - bald patches, weeds, and what grass there was looked sick. We went two very different directions. I called a company that specializes in lawn care, handed them my credit card, and now my grass looks great. I have little understanding of what they did, but it worked.

In contrast, my neighbor read everything he could about lawn care, talked to people at the local agricultural extension service, laid out a meticulous plan, and set it in motion. He explained the research to me, the next steps, and the timeline. I saw that play over the course of the next couple of months. Now both of our lawns look great! 

  • dying grass
  • healthy lawn

Note the tradeoffs, whether it be for lawn care or deploying AI.

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