Five Questions to Ask Before You Buy an AI Tool

Most AI vendor demos are theater: a polished workflow, a confident salesperson, and zero mention of risk. Before you sign, ask these five questions. The answers — or the evasions — tell you everything.

One: What data was this trained on, and what happens to our data when we use it? Two: How do you test for bias and errors, and can we see the results? Three: What security controls protect our information? Four: If the tool makes a mistake that hurts us, what's your process? Five: Can we audit it, or at least export our data and leave?

A good vendor answers directly. A bad one changes the subject. This isn't hostility; it's procurement. You wouldn't buy a car without checking the brakes. Don't buy AI without checking the guardrails.

I explain frameworks; I don't give legal counsel.