AI Execution Check: do you own your AI?

Weakest lock:

Model

Data

Talent

Cost

Exit

You hold it

Mostly yours

At risk

A vendor holds it

Put a layer between your applications and the model, and keep a tested second option ready.

Move prompts, evaluation sets and embeddings into stores you own, and write down the process knowledge.

Train two of your people per workflow to change it in production, and name one owner for each.

Measure the cost per workflow and per outcome before you scale the spend.

Price the exit now, and write the return of your data and configurations into every contract.

This lock is yours. Keep testing it, because locks are lost quietly, at renewal time.

Mostly yours. Close the gap before you scale, while it is still cheap.

At risk. One vendor decision on price, terms or roadmap could take it from you.

A vendor holds this lock. Every change here becomes a purchase order.