Artificial Intelligence is no walk in the park, as navigating its development complexities can be daunting for businesses seeking to integrate this technology quickly and cost-effectively. While the conventional choices have been either custom development or ready-made solutions, neither addresses all needs efficiently. We propose a third path: a hybrid approach that combines the best of both, emphasizing automation to streamline the development process. Scroll down to learn more.

Custom development or out-of-the-box solution?

Businesses embarking on AI projects often face a critical decision: should they invest in custom development or opt for off-the-shelf AI products?

Each option comes with its advantages and drawbacks:

Custom development:

Pros:

• Tailored solutions that offer high flexibility and control over functionality.
• Complete customization to precisely fit specific business requirements and integration needs.
• Independence from vendor-specific limitations, allowing for innovative and unique implementations.

Cons:

• Significantly higher cost due to custom work and the need for experienced specialists.
• Longer development time which can delay project timelines.
• Requires a continuous investment in development, maintenance, and updates.
  
  

Off-the-shelf solutions:

Pros:

• Wide selection of solutions targeting different aspects of machine learning development.
• Immediate availability and rapid deployment capability.
• Stable and extensively tested functionalities.
• Access to powerful development kits and large user communities that provide robust support.

Cons:

• High initial and ongoing licensing fees.
• Primarily cloud-based, which might not fit all business models or data security requirements.
• Limited customization options which can lead to mismatches with specific business needs.
• Often challenging for non-specialists to use effectively.
• Long response times for support tickets.
• Lack of dedicated machine learning support teams.
• Lack of personalized workshops or training.

These traditional paths often force companies to compromise either on speed, cost, or a strategy fit. After trying each of these approaches, we thought — why not take the best of both worlds?

The hybrid approach: embracing automation

Our hybrid approach integrates the rapid deployment capabilities of ready-made AI solutions with the flexibility of custom development. At its core, this approach leverages automation of standard elements of AI development to accelerate the initial phases of the project, enabling:

• Quick feasibility assessments: Rapidly test and modify multiple hypotheses to suit dynamic market conditions;
• Reduced costs and time: Streamline development processes to focus on customization rather than reinventing the wheel;
• Lower risks: Mitigate common pitfalls associated with both custom and out-of-the-box solutions by maintaining control over the integration and adaptation of AI technologies.
  
  

Advantages of the hybrid approach to AI project development

The ValueXI platform epitomizes the hybrid approach. With its help, companies can reduce the time needed for a minimum viable product (MVP) implementation up to 1 month (for some of the simpler cases) with further customization options available for specific tasks.

In-house development from scratch vs. employing ready-made AI solution vs. leveraging ValueXI

Here’s how ValueXI stacks up against traditional methods:

ValueXI vs traditional methods

Experience the ValueXI difference

With our domain-specific expertise, ongoing support, and commitment to data security, we can ensure a risk-free and seamless integration of AI into your existing workflows. We invite you to ValueXI Demo!