Beware of the AI pilot trap
Executive Take
A cheap pilot tells you nothing about the real cost of running AI in production. If security and finance join only at launch, you will pay for it later with a rebuild.
Executive Summary
CIO.com reports that AI pilots often look cheap but scaling them exposes hidden costs. Domo's Ben Schein and others warn spending spirals once AI touches real workflows. Revenium's John D'Emic cites a four-day coding session that cost $3,762 unbudgeted. NetApp's Anil Inamdar urges costing the full program, not just the demo, and involving security early.
Why It Matters
Technology and finance leaders need this because AI spend can spike overnight with no alert, as one $3,762 developer session shows. CIOs who skip governance planning risk expensive rebuilds after failed security reviews.
Bizquad Perspective
Most leaders measure pilot success by whether the demo works, but the real test is whether anyone can say who ran it, on what data, and why it cost what it cost.