Should you Build vs. Buy an AI-Powered Mobile app?

Content:

• Introduction
• Considerations to help guide your decision
• Summary

Deciding between building your own AI application or buying an off-the-shelf solution can be a critical decision for a business. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the best choice often depends on the specific circumstances of your business.

Set up a free consultaion with Salesboom to discuss your unique business worfklow. With 20 years of building custom apps on top of our award-winning Cloud CRM platform, we have built many apps that are platform agnostic. This means you don't have to use our Cloud CRM product as your main CRM. We integrate with all CRMs to make a holistic solution that your company can leverage in the short, medium and long-term. It is part of our Platform-as-a-Service offerings.

Here are some factors to consider in deciding to build vs buy that AI app:

1. Cost: Building an AI application from scratch can be costly, especially if you don't already have AI expertise in-house. It requires investment in research, development, testing, and maintenance. On the other hand, buying an AI solution can have a lower upfront cost, though recurring licensing or subscription fees can add up over time.

2. Customization: If you need a solution that is highly tailored to your business processes and unique needs, building your own application might be the better choice. Off-the-shelf solutions often offer customization options, but they may not be able to accommodate every specific need.

3. Time to Deployment: Buying a solution can be faster to implement, as the product is already built and just needs to be configured. Building an AI application, particularly a complex one, can take a significant amount of time.

4. Ownership and Control: When you build your own application, you retain full control over its functionalities and data. This can be important for competitive advantage or for meeting specific privacy or regulatory requirements.

5. Scalability: Depending on the solution, off-the-shelf software might have limitations on scaling or may become increasingly expensive as usage grows. A custom-built solution can be designed with future scalability in mind.

6. Expertise: Building an AI application requires a certain level of expertise in AI and machine learning, which is a specialized field. If you don't have this expertise in-house, you might need to hire new personnel or outsource the development, which adds to the cost.

Overall, it's important to carefully evaluate your business needs, resources, and strategic goals before making the decision to build or buy an AI application. For many businesses, a hybrid approach often works best – buying a base platform or components, then customizing or extending them as needed.

Should I build an AI app from scratch or use an existing point-and-click AI app builder?

Deciding between using existing AI app building tools and creating an AI app from scratch depends on a number of factors.

Here are some considerations to help guide your decision:

1. Skill Level: If you or your team have extensive programming and data science skills, you might lean towards building an AI app from scratch, as you can tailor every aspect of the application to your needs. If your skills are more basic, using AI app building tools, which often provide user-friendly interfaces and templates, might be a better option.

2. Time and Resources: Building an AI app from scratch can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, requiring deep expertise in machine learning algorithms, programming languages, data management, and more. If you're working under tight deadlines or with limited resources, AI app building tools can expedite the process significantly.

3. Customization: Building your own AI app offers the most flexibility when it comes to customization. You can design and implement unique features that might not be possible with off-the-shelf tools. However, many AI app building tools offer a range of customization options, which may be more than adequate for most applications.

4. Maintenance and Support: AI app building tools typically come with ongoing support and regular updates. This can be valuable, as maintaining and updating an AI app built from scratch can be quite a task, requiring you to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices in AI development.

5. Cost: Building an AI app from scratch can be costly, especially if it requires hiring new talent or extensive development time. AI app building tools can be more cost-effective, especially for smaller businesses or projects with tight budgets. However, keep in mind that many tools operate on a subscription model, and costs can increase as you scale your app.

The decision between using AI app building tools and creating your own AI app from scratch depends on your specific requirements, available resources, and the technical expertise of your team. Both options have their merits, and it's about choosing the approach that best fits your circumstances.

The fastest, most reliable, and most economic means of achieving your wants, neads and fears over the short, medium and long-term of your app relies on partnering with the right team, and keeping them going for the long-term.

Salesboom, has over 20 years of experience in doing just that.

Please reach out to us with your specific requests for an AI app and we can make it a reality.