Why most AI demos never reach production
The prototype is the easy part. Reliability, cost, and security are where AI projects quietly die, and how to get past it.
StrategyMLOps1 min read
Writing
Notes on shipping AI to production.
Field notes on AI strategy, agents, custom models, and the infrastructure that keeps them running. No hype.
Self-hosting LLMs vs API: the real cost math for 2026
Self-hosting open models looks cheaper until you add up GPUs, idle time, and engineering. Here is the honest breakeven math and when running your own models actually pays off.
MLOpsModel HostingCost4 min read
LLM observability: how to monitor AI in production in 2026
A practical guide to LLM observability and production monitoring, covering tracing, evals, and drift detection so your AI system fails loudly instead of silently.
MLOpsObservabilityLLM4 min read
LLM inference cost optimization: a 2026 playbook
Token prices have fallen fast, but wasted tokens still cost real money. A practical guide to LLM inference cost optimization, from caching to model routing, for teams running AI in production.
MLOpsCost OptimizationLLM4 min read
How to deploy AI agents to production in 2026
Most enterprise AI agents stall before they ever run for real users. Here is the engineering work that gets an agent from pilot to production, and why so many teams skip it.
AI AgentsDeploymentStrategy5 min read
When to hire an AI agency vs building an in-house team
A practical breakdown of when to hire an AI agency and when to build in-house, with the real costs, timelines, and trade-offs for technical founders and engineering leads in 2026.
StrategyAI AgencyHiring5 min read
Fine-tuning vs RAG: when to fine-tune an LLM in 2026
Fine-tuning vs RAG is the wrong fight. Here is how to decide when to fine-tune an LLM, when retrieval is enough, and why most production systems in 2026 use both.
RAGFine-tuningLLM4 min read
Enterprise AI agents in 2026: ROI, timelines, and what to build first
Enterprise AI agents have crossed into mainstream production with strong ROI. A grounded look at the returns, the payback timelines, and which agent to build first.
AI AgentsStrategyROI4 min read
Context engineering: why RAG alone fails in production
RAG fetches relevant chunks. Production needs information that is relevant, trustworthy, and auditable. Here is why context engineering, not RAG by itself, is what makes grounded AI reliable.
RAGContext EngineeringMLOps5 min read
AI consulting services: what to look for in 2026
How to choose AI consulting services that actually ship, with the questions to ask, the red flags to avoid, and what senior, no-lock-in delivery should look like.
StrategyAI AgencyConsulting4 min read
AI agent security and governance: closing the 2026 gap
AI agent adoption has outpaced security. A practical guide to AI agent security and governance in 2026, covering identity, guardrails, and the controls risk teams now require.
AI SecurityGovernanceAI Agents4 min read