Ten Questions to Ask Every AI Vendor

1. Show me a customer in my industry at my scale.
2. What does your model do when it doesn't know the answer?
3. Where does my data live, and who can see it?
4. How do you handle a prompt-injection attack from a customer?
5. What's the integration with [my ERP / CRM / EMR]? Show me, don't tell me.
6. What's the all-in cost at 1x, 10x, and 100x usage?
7. What's the SLA on accuracy, not just uptime?
8. How do I export everything if I leave?
9. Who do I call at 2 AM if it breaks?
10. What's on the roadmap that I'd be paying for but waiting on?

If the salesperson can't answer four of these on a call, you're too early.