What Questions to Ask When Vetting AI Tools

From virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, to AI chat bots like ChatGPT,  to facial recognition, AI has become a commonplace mechanism in our everyday lives. And while we as individuals have the agency to choose if and how we use AI-driven tools, implementing AI at a business level comes with a whole different set of concerns. 

Issues like ethical responsibility and security must be at the forefront of your mind as you consider adding AI solutions to your company’s tech stack. If that’s not enough, with AI adoption only increasing, you’ll need to vet and select the tools that are right for your company quickly to keep up with your competition. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the most important questions to ask as you decide which AI tools are right for your business.

Keep reading to learn what questions to ask when vetting AI tools.

How does your AI model work?

Believe it or not, there are a lot of companies out there that claim to use AI that do nothing of the sort. During your vetting process, invite members of your product or engineering team to ask specific questions about how the company in question’s AI actually works. 

In doing so you’ll be able to vet out brands whose AI capabilities may be no better than an internal system you already have, or who may be using AI as a buzzword to win business. If a company can’t succinctly explain what’s under the hood of their AI solution, it’s probably best to consider alternatives.

Is your company SOC 2 Type 2 certified? 

When partnering with an AI vendor, you’ll want to be certain that any data you provide to them is secure. That’s why it’s imperative to ask if a company has obtained a SOC 2 Type 2 certification as this is a strong indicator that the business takes security very seriously. If an AI company you’re vetting hasn’t taken the time to complete the rigorous SOC 2 Type 2 certification, proceed with caution. 

Will my team need ongoing training to use the technology?

Although it can be tempting to add the latest and greatest software to your tech stack, sometimes emerging technologies can be tricky to use. When vetting an AI solution, ask if your team will need ongoing training to use the technology.

If the answer is yes, consider what the cost of training and retraining your team on a single tool is to your company. It’s definitely possible that an AI tool may be so great that it’s worth the time that it will take to keep your staff up to date on the software. On the other hand, if you run a lean team that has no time to spare, consider looking into other AI tools that prioritize ease of use in their customer experience.
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While there are countless questions to ask when vetting AI tools, the three outlined in this blog post are a great place to start! If you’re looking for a more exhaustive list of questions to add to your RFP, check out our eBook: How AI Optimization Drives Conversions for Marketers.

In addition to a section on how to responsibly vet AI tools, the guide also explains how AI drives revenue and efficiencies in marketing. Download the guide now! 

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