AI Consulting

The cost of AI consulting varies considerably depending on scope, complexity, and industry. For an initial strategy consultation including a readiness assessment and use case identification, companies should expect an investment starting at €25,000. A full proof of concept typically ranges between €50,

000 and €150,000, while a productive AI implementation can cost between €100,

000 and €500,

000 or more depending on complexity. What matters most, however, is not the absolute price but the return on investment. Based on our experience, AI projects with the right use case selection pay for themselves within

6 to

18 months. Typical ROI drivers include process automation with

30 to

70 percent time savings, improved decision quality through data-driven analysis, reduction of manual errors by

60 to

90 percent, and new revenue potential through AI-supported products and services. In our discovery workshop, we identify the use cases with the highest ROI potential and produce a transparent cost-benefit analysis. This allows you to make well-informed decisions about which AI investments will pay off most quickly for your organization. Importantly, we work vendor-independently. This means we recommend the technology that best fits your specific situation — not the one that generates the highest margin for us. This frequently reduces total costs significantly, as no costly vendor lock-in arises.

The AI consulting market is large and difficult to navigate. What fundamentally distinguishes ADVISORI from competitors such as large IT consultancies or pure data science firms is a unique combination of three core competencies. First: We have developed our own multi-agent AI platform. This is not a white-label solution from a third-party provider, but proprietary technology with over 1,

500 interfaces and integrated multi-agent monitoring. This gives us an understanding of AI systems that pure strategy consultants cannot have. Second: We are vendor-independent. While many consultancies are tied to specific cloud providers or technology partners and sell their solutions, we select the optimal technology for each use case — whether Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, or open-source models. This saves you costs and dependencies in the long run. Third: Our regulatory expertise is deeply embedded. With dedicated business units for information security and risk management, as well as ISO 27001 certification, we bring compliance know-how that most AI consultancies have to source externally. Particularly in the context of the EU AI Act, DORA, and NIS2, this is a decisive advantage. In addition, we have particular industry expertise in the financial sector. We know the requirements of BaFin, MaRisk, and European financial regulation from years of practical experience, and can implement AI solutions that are compliant from the outset.

The duration of an AI consulting project depends heavily on scope and the starting situation. In general, we distinguish three typical project phases with the following timeframes. The strategy phase, including discovery and assessment, typically takes two to four weeks. During this phase, we analyze your current situation, identify use cases, and create a prioritized roadmap. For complex organizations with many stakeholders, this phase can take up to six weeks. The proof of concept typically spans six to eight weeks. Here we implement the most promising use case as a functional prototype using your real data. The goal is to demonstrate business value concretely and establish a solid basis for the investment decision. Productive implementation takes three to six months depending on complexity. In agile two-week sprints, we develop the solution, integrate it into your system landscape, and roll it out incrementally. Simpler projects — such as an intelligent chatbot based on existing knowledge databases — can go live in as little as six to eight weeks. Complex multi-agent systems with numerous integrations require correspondingly more time. Importantly, we follow an iterative approach. This means you see initial results within a few weeks and can provide feedback early on. There is no months-long work behind closed doors. Our multi-agent monitoring also ensures that continuous optimization takes place even after go-live.

A multi-agent AI platform is a system in which several specialized AI agents work together to solve complex tasks. Instead of a single AI model that must handle everything, the platform orchestrates various agents, each with specific capabilities. One agent analyzes documents, another performs database queries, a third creates summaries, and a fourth checks results for compliance. The ADVISORI multi-agent platform offers several decisive advantages over monolithic AI solutions. First, flexibility: with over 1,

500 pre-built interfaces, the platform can connect to virtually any existing IT landscape — from modern cloud systems to legacy applications. Second, vendor independence: the platform can integrate models from various providers. You can combine GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, or open-source models such as Llama depending on requirements, and are not tied to a single provider. Third, transparency and control: our integrated multi-agent monitoring shows in real time which agent makes which decision, which data it accesses, and how results are produced. This is particularly essential for regulated industries where traceability is mandatory. Fourth, scalability: new agents can be added modularly without affecting the overall system. As your requirements grow, the platform grows with them. Fifth, security: the platform is developed according to security-by-design principles and meets the requirements of ISO 27001. Sensitive data remains within your environment and is not transmitted to external AI services.

The EU AI Act is the world's first comprehensive AI regulation and affects virtually every company that develops, deploys, or distributes AI systems. Since its entry into force, companies must classify their AI systems by risk category and fulfill corresponding obligations. The categories range from minimal risk, where few requirements apply, through limited risk with transparency obligations, to high-risk AI, which must meet extensive requirements regarding documentation, risk management, data quality, and human oversight. Certain AI applications, such as social scoring, are prohibited entirely. For companies, this means concretely: every AI system must be classified. High-risk systems require a conformity assessment procedure, technical documentation, a risk management system, and ongoing monitoring. Violations can result in fines of up to €

35 million or

7 percent of global annual turnover. In the financial sector, the EU AI Act applies in addition to existing regulations such as DORA for digital operational resilience and NIS 2 for cybersecurity. The requirements partially overlap but must each be fulfilled individually. ADVISORI helps you view the EU AI Act as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. We assist with the classification of your existing and planned AI systems, develop the necessary governance structures, and ensure that compliance is considered from the very first design phase. Our advantage: through our information security and risk management business units, we bring the required regulatory know-how directly, rather than having to source it externally.

Selecting the right first AI use case is critical to success. It should have a clear business value, be technically feasible, and deliver visible results quickly. Based on our experience from numerous AI projects, the following use cases are particularly well suited for getting started. In the area of document processing and knowledge management, the intelligent analysis and extraction of information from large document repositories is a strong option. An AI-supported system can analyze contracts, review compliance documents, or make internal knowledge databases searchable. The ROI becomes visible quickly because manual research work is drastically reduced. Process automation with AI is another strong entry point. Repetitive, rule-based processes can be automated by AI agents — from invoice processing and data validation to automated report generation. Typical efficiency gains range from

40 to

80 percent. Customer service optimization through AI-supported chatbots and virtual assistants trained on company knowledge improves service quality and reduces processing times. It is important that the AI is trained on your specific data and processes, not just general knowledge. Predictive analytics for decision support is particularly suitable for companies with extensive historical data. AI models can forecast demand, identify risks early, or predict maintenance needs. We recommend starting with a use case that delivers a measurable proof of concept within eight to twelve weeks. Building on this success, AI adoption can be systematically extended to further areas.

Data security in AI projects is not an optional add-on but a fundamental prerequisite. As an ISO 27001-certified company with a dedicated business unit for information security, data protection is deeply integrated into every project step at ADVISORI. Our security concept for AI projects is based on several pillars. Data governance and data protection: before every AI project, we conduct a comprehensive data protection impact assessment. We define which data may be used for AI training and operations, how it is anonymized or pseudonymized, and where it is processed. Sensitive data does not leave your infrastructure under any circumstances. Security-by-design: our AI architectures are designed with security in mind from the outset. This includes access controls, encryption, secure API communication, and protection against AI-specific attacks such as prompt injection or data poisoning. Transparency and traceability: our multi-agent monitoring logs all decisions and data accesses by AI systems without gaps. This not only enables compliance documentation but also the rapid identification of anomalies or undesired behavior. Regular security audits: we conduct continuous security reviews of implemented AI systems, test for vulnerabilities, and update security measures in line with the current threat landscape. In addition, we bring expertise in industry-specific security requirements. For the financial sector, this means compliance with BaFin requirements, MaRisk, and DORA. For other regulated industries, we adapt our security standards accordingly. Our triple ISO certification in information security, quality management, and environmental management is not a marketing statement — it is regularly verified by external auditors.

In principle, virtually every industry benefits from AI consulting today. However, we see the greatest potential and fastest ROI realization in certain sectors. The financial sector is our core area. Banks, insurance companies, and asset managers possess enormous volumes of data and highly standardized processes — ideal conditions for AI. Typical applications include credit risk assessment, real-time fraud detection, automated compliance checks, intelligent document processing, and AI-supported investment advisory. The particular challenge lies in strict regulation, which we address through our expertise in BaFin requirements, MaRisk, the EU AI Act, and DORA. Industry and manufacturing benefit primarily from predictive maintenance, quality control through computer vision, supply chain optimization, and intelligent production planning. AI can reduce downtime by up to

50 percent and significantly increase overall equipment effectiveness. In healthcare and life sciences, AI applications in diagnostic support, drug development, patient care, and administrative optimization are driving significant efficiency gains. Regulatory requirements are high, which is why our compliance know-how is a decisive advantage here as well. The public sector and energy providers face the challenge of achieving more with limited resources. AI can support citizen service automation, grid optimization, demand forecasting, and intelligent resource planning. Regardless of industry, the key success factor is not the technology itself, but the right combination of technical excellence, industry understanding, and regulatory know-how. This is precisely the combination that ADVISORI offers as a comprehensive AI consultancy.