AI Strategy Consulting: What You Get, What It Costs, and the Free First Step
An AI strategy engagement costs anywhere from $10,000 for a boutique sprint to $250,000+ for a big-firm program. Here is what the deliverable should contain, which tier fits which company, and how to get the first version of the map free.
AI strategy consulting produces one thing: a prioritized plan for where AI creates value in your business, what it costs, and in what order to roll it out. Boutique firms charge $10,000 to $40,000 for a four to six week sprint; big consultancies charge $100,000 to $250,000+ for a program. For most companies under 200 people, the strategy fits on two pages and the first draft comes out of one honest conversation, which is why we offer that conversation free.
Key takeaways
- A real AI strategy is a ranked list of use cases with cost, owner and a 90-day metric for each.
- Boutique sprints: $10,000 to $40,000. Big-firm programs: $100,000 to $250,000+.
- Under ~200 staff, the strategy problem is mostly tool selection and adoption, not architecture.
- Red flag: a strategy deck with no named tools, no prices and no owners.
- Our free 30-minute consultation produces the first version of the map before you pay anyone.
1. What "AI strategy" actually means
Strip away the slideware and an AI strategy answers four questions. Where does AI pay off in this business: which workflows burn the most hours on work a model does well (drafting, research, summarising, triage, reporting, first-line support)? What do we use: which tools, which models, built or bought? Who owns it: the champion, the budget line, the policy? And when: what goes live in 30 days, what waits for proof, what never happens. If a strategy deliverable does not answer all four with specifics, it is a vision statement.
The useful mental model: strategy is a sorted to-do list with prices attached. Everything else (maturity models, transformation frameworks, capability heat maps) exists to justify the fee on large engagements. Some of it matters at 5,000 employees. Almost none of it matters at 50.
2. What AI strategy consulting costs in 2026
| Provider | Typical engagement | Price range | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big consultancies (MBB, Big Four) | 8 to 16 week program | $100,000 to $250,000+ | Enterprises with board-level AI mandates |
| Mid-size IT consultancies | 6 to 10 weeks | $40,000 to $120,000 | Mid-market with complex systems |
| Boutique AI studios | 4 to 6 week sprint | $10,000 to $40,000 | Growing companies, 50 to 500 staff |
| Senior independents | Workshop plus report | $3,000 to $15,000 | Small businesses, 5 to 50 staff |
| Free consultation | 30-minute call | $0 | Anyone who wants the first map before spending |
The prices scale with seniority and headcount on the engagement, not with the quality of the answer. A partner at a big firm and a senior independent will often arrive at the same top three use cases for a 30-person company; the difference is the size of the team that documents it.
3. What a good strategy deliverable contains
- A workflow audit. Where hours actually go, by role, measured or at least estimated with the team, not guessed by leadership. Our AI readiness assessment walks through how to do this yourself.
- A ranked use-case list. Each use case with hours saved, tool, monthly cost and risk level. Three to seven items, never thirty.
- A tool decision. Named products with real prices, including the honest comparison between per-seat tools and a flat-rate AI workspace.
- A policy page. What data goes in, what does not, who approves new tools. One page. See private AI for business for what to put on it.
- A 30/60/90 rollout. Owners, training, and one metric per phase. This is where most strategies die, so the 30-day implementation plan matters more than the deck.
4. Where strategy engagements go wrong
Strategy without tools. A deck that says "leverage generative AI for customer experience" and stops. You paid for a sentence. Insist on named products and prices.
Strategy without adoption. The single most common failure: a good plan, a licence purchase, and 15% of staff actually using it three months later. Adoption is a training and habit problem, covered in AI training for employees.
Over-building. Recommending custom development for problems an off-the-shelf workspace already solves. If a strategy proposes a custom chatbot build before trying a subscription for two weeks, read our build vs buy guide first.
Vendor capture. Consultants who resell one stack recommend that stack. Ask in writing whether they earn commission on any tool they recommend.
5. Do you need to pay for strategy at all?
Honest sizing rule. Under 50 people, with standard office software and no regulated data: no. Your strategy is "pick a workspace, train the team, measure hours saved", and a free conversation gets you there. Between 50 and 500 people, or with sensitive data: a boutique sprint earns its fee if it includes rollout support, not just a report. Above 500 people, with legacy systems, compliance exposure or a board mandate: a paid program is reasonable, and a free first conversation still helps you scope what to ask for.
6. The free version, done properly
Our consultation is built like the first week of a strategy sprint, compressed. Adam Johansson asks about your team size, the workflows that eat the week, your current tool spend and any data constraints. You leave with the first draft of the map: the three use cases worth starting with, the setup that fits your team size and usage, and an honest read on whether you need a paid engagement at all. Krater covers about 90% of what businesses use AI for; if you are in the other 10%, you hear that too. Free, no strings attached.
Get your free AI consultation
Thirty minutes with Adam Johansson, an AI expert who maps out what actually fits your business: the right tools, plan and setup for your team size and usage. Free, no strings attached.
Free for any business, any size. We reply within one business day.
Adam Johansson
AI Advisor, Krater
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Bottom line
AI strategy consulting is worth paying for when complexity, scale or regulation justify it. For most growing companies the strategy is a short ranked list with prices, and the first draft costs nothing: book the free call, get the map, then decide whether a paid engagement adds anything.
Frequently asked questions
How much does AI strategy consulting cost?
Boutique sprints run $10,000 to $40,000; mid-size firms $40,000 to $120,000; big consultancies $100,000 to $250,000+. Senior independents do workshops for $3,000 to $15,000.
What should an AI strategy include?
A workflow audit, a ranked use-case list with costs, named tools, a one-page data policy and a 30/60/90 rollout plan with owners and metrics.
How long does an AI strategy engagement take?
Four to six weeks for a boutique sprint, eight to sixteen weeks for a big-firm program. A small business can get a usable first draft from one structured conversation.
Do small businesses need an AI strategy consultant?
Usually not under 50 people with standard tools. The strategy is tool selection plus adoption, which a free consultation and a workspace trial cover.
Sources: Public rate cards and engagement scopes from consultancies and independent practitioners; our own advisory calls. Prices checked October 2026.