STEEPWORKS vs AI Consulting
For leaders choosing between a product and a services engagement
AI consulting firms (Accenture, Deloitte, boutique AI shops) offer strategy, implementation, and change management. STEEPWORKS delivers a pre-built AI operating system with onboarding. The models are fundamentally different: consulting sells hours and deliverables, STEEPWORKS sells a system and capability transfer.
Delivery Model
STEEPWORKS
Product + guided onboarding. You own and operate the system after setup.
AI Consulting
Project-based engagements. Consultants build, you maintain (or re-engage).
Verdict
STEEPWORKS for capability ownership; consulting for one-time projects.
Delivery Model
Product + guided onboarding. You own and operate the system after setup.
Project-based engagements. Consultants build, you maintain (or re-engage).
STEEPWORKS for capability ownership; consulting for one-time projects.
Time to Value
STEEPWORKS
Operational in 2 weeks. First workflows running in days.
AI Consulting
8-16 weeks for typical AI strategy + implementation engagement.
Verdict
STEEPWORKS for speed; consulting when you need organizational change management.
Time to Value
Operational in 2 weeks. First workflows running in days.
8-16 weeks for typical AI strategy + implementation engagement.
STEEPWORKS for speed; consulting when you need organizational change management.
Cost
STEEPWORKS
Subscription pricing. Predictable monthly cost. No surprise invoices.
AI Consulting
$200-500/hour. A 12-week engagement at a mid-tier firm runs $150-400K.
Verdict
STEEPWORKS is 10-50x cheaper than consulting for equivalent capability.
Cost
Subscription pricing. Predictable monthly cost. No surprise invoices.
$200-500/hour. A 12-week engagement at a mid-tier firm runs $150-400K.
STEEPWORKS is 10-50x cheaper than consulting for equivalent capability.
Customization
STEEPWORKS
Fully customizable skills and workflows. You modify the system to fit your process.
AI Consulting
Custom-built to your specifications. Higher customization ceiling with unlimited budget.
Verdict
Consulting for highly custom needs; STEEPWORKS for standard GTM workflows.
Customization
Fully customizable skills and workflows. You modify the system to fit your process.
Custom-built to your specifications. Higher customization ceiling with unlimited budget.
Consulting for highly custom needs; STEEPWORKS for standard GTM workflows.
Knowledge Transfer
STEEPWORKS
System is yours from day one. All skills are readable markdown. Onboarding teaches operation.
AI Consulting
Depends on engagement scope. Some firms deliver documentation; many create dependency.
Verdict
STEEPWORKS for knowledge independence; consulting firms vary widely.
Knowledge Transfer
System is yours from day one. All skills are readable markdown. Onboarding teaches operation.
Depends on engagement scope. Some firms deliver documentation; many create dependency.
STEEPWORKS for knowledge independence; consulting firms vary widely.
Ongoing Support
STEEPWORKS
Skill updates, new capabilities added to the library, community access.
AI Consulting
Engagement ends. Ongoing support requires a new SOW and additional budget.
Verdict
STEEPWORKS for continuous improvement; consulting for discrete projects.
Ongoing Support
Skill updates, new capabilities added to the library, community access.
Engagement ends. Ongoing support requires a new SOW and additional budget.
STEEPWORKS for continuous improvement; consulting for discrete projects.
Bottom Line
AI consulting makes sense when you need organizational transformation, custom AI model development, or change management across a large enterprise. STEEPWORKS makes sense when you need production AI operations for your GTM team at a fraction of the cost and timeline.
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90 minutes from zero to your first skill chain. No coding required.
Built and maintained by Victor Sowers at STEEPWORKS