How much does AI consulting cost for a small business?

The main pricing models

AI consulting is usually sold in one of five ways. Each suits a different stage of adoption, and Go Wisely's prices are given below as a transparent reference point. Go Wisely's Discovery Session, the first conversation, is free.

Workshops

Workshops suit businesses that want a team to build a shared understanding of AI quickly. They are fixed in length and easy to budget for. On their own, they raise awareness but rarely change processes.

At Go Wisely, the Half Day Introduction to AI is from £750 and the Full Day Introduction to AI is from £1,250.

Diagnostics

A diagnostic suits a business that wants to know where to focus before spending more. It gives you a structured assessment and a plan, so later spending goes to the right places.

Go Wisely's Half Day Leadership Alignment is from £1,200, and the Full AI Accelerator Diagnostic is from £3,500.

Programmes

Programmes suit businesses that have decided where to go and need lasting capability across a team. They cost more than a workshop but are designed to change how people work over time.

Go Wisely's AI Champions Programme is from £4,950. The Full Bespoke Team Training Programme is priced on request, with a payment plan available.

Projects

Project pricing suits a defined piece of work with a clear end point, such as getting a specific use case built. Go Wisely's AI Implementation Oversight is priced per project.

Retainers

A monthly retainer suits businesses that want ongoing access to senior advice as AI and their needs change. Go Wisely's Fractional AI Advisory is a monthly retainer.

Judging value rather than cost

The cheapest option is not always the lowest-cost one. Weigh what you pay against what you get.

• The cost of standing still: Unused licences, hours spent on repetitive tasks and unmanaged risk all cost money, even if they never appear on an invoice.

• Who does the work: Ask whether the experienced person you meet will also deliver the work. This affects the quality of what you receive.

• What you keep: A written report, an agreed policy or trained internal champions keep their value after the engagement ends. A one-off talk usually does not.

• Whether it points somewhere: Good work should leave you clear on the next step, including when that next step does not involve paying anyone.

Building a budget

Start with the smallest piece of work that answers your biggest question. If leadership disagrees on where AI fits, alignment comes first. If you need evidence of how the team really uses AI, a full assessment is worth more than a workshop. Spending in stages lets each step justify the next.

The page on how to budget for AI in an SME covers how to plan spending across a year.