10 Questions to Ask an AI Training Provider Before You Pay

Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your company starts with training your people. But with hundreds of programs available, how do you pick a provider that delivers actual results, not just lectures? If you're evaluating an AI adoption program for your team, it's crucial to ask the right questions before committing any funds.

Why Should YOU Be Choosing the AI Training Provider?

The answer is simple: you're paying. As an owner or CEO, you are responsible for your company's investments in growth. Delegating the choice of training to a marketing manager or IT director without your involvement can lead to your team getting good, but impractical, theory, and your company seeing zero business results. Your job is to define what needs to change in your company after the training and ensure the provider understands your objectives.

Definition: AI training is a program designed to teach company employees how to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to solve daily business tasks, often without requiring programming.

Where to Start: 10 Key Questions

To avoid falling for empty promises and wasting resources, ask these questions to any potential AI training provider. This will help you assess their approach, experience, and, most importantly, the potential impact on your business.

1. What specific outcomes will we achieve by the end of the program?

A provider should clearly articulate what you will have in hand after the training. This cannot just be "new knowledge" or "certificates." Expect specifics: how many working automations will be created, for which tasks, and how their success will be measured. If a provider only promises general knowledge, it might be interesting for general development, but not for practical AI implementation in your company. For instance, we guarantee a minimum of 3 working automations on tasks your company identifies as priorities.

2. Do our employees need programming skills?

Most business tasks today can be automated without writing code. Modern AI tools allow users to describe logic in plain language. If a provider insists on programming, it might indicate their program is outdated or aimed at developers, not business users. Your employees should be able to apply knowledge immediately, not spend months learning coding languages.

3. On what data will the automations operate?

For real impact, automations must work with your actual data, not hypothetical examples. Ask if the program will use your company's real data and tools. Discuss how confidentiality will be ensured (e.g., through test or anonymized data for sensitive processes) and the possibility of signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) if requested. The automations created should be capable of integrating into your current workflows.

4. Who will own the automations and code created?

This is a critically important question. Ensure that all automations created during the training, and their underlying code (if any), become the property of your company. You should not be tied to the provider or dependent on them for maintenance or scaling. Automations should run on your tools, and you should have full control over them.

5. What happens if we don't achieve the promised results?

Guarantees are a sign of a provider's confidence in their program. Ask if there's a refund mechanism or a re-work policy. Clearly define success criteria in writing before starting. Without clearly defined success metrics and guarantees, your investment could be wasted. This should, at a minimum, be documented in your contract.

6. How many employees can participate in the program for one price?

Training costs can vary significantly. Some providers charge per participant, others per group. For companies with 10-100 people, a group format is often more cost-effective. Clarify the maximum number of participants in a group and the fixed price for that group. This allows you to plan your budget efficiently and scale training to more employees at a favorable rate. For example, our program accommodates up to 20 company employees for one fixed price.

7. Who leads the sessions, and what is their business experience, not just AI theory?

The instructor's background is paramount. You want a practitioner who understands business realities, not just an AI theorist. Ask about their entrepreneurial experience, how many companies they've founded, if they've had successful business exits, or if they have publications in reputable outlets. This experience ensures the training is business-outcome-driven, not purely academic. For example, Yaroslav Maksymovych, our lead instructor, is the founder of 5 companies (4 of which were sold), holds a Ph.D., and has been published in Forbes.

8. What support is provided after the training concludes?

After completing the program, employees may have questions or need to refine automations. Ask about the availability, duration, and scope of post-training support. This could include access to video courses, a chat with the instructor, or consultation sessions. The first month of support for created automations should be included in the training cost. Long-term access to materials (e.g., 12 months) would also be a benefit.

9. How do we select tasks for automation?

Effective AI implementation begins with selecting the right tasks. Ask how the provider helps identify priority areas for automation. This could be an employee survey, individual consultations, or workshops. It's important that your company can influence this choice, as you know your pain points best. We use a survey called "5 tasks that consume the most working hours" and, together with the company, select 3 priority tasks.

10. Can you provide examples of real case studies created by your students?

Real-world case studies, not hypothetical scenarios, are the best proof of a program's effectiveness. Ask for examples of automations successfully implemented in other companies, ideally within your industry. This will give you an understanding of what to expect and what problems AI can solve. Anonymized case studies that demonstrate concrete results are what you need. For instance, we had a case where a commercial proposal generator reduced time from several hours to minutes for a manufacturing company, or an analysis of 1000 calls in 30 minutes for a distribution business.

How AI Advisory Board.me Can Help

To get the most out of AI training, you need to see the full picture. This starts with analyzing your company. Our free organizational chart analysis helps identify departments, tasks, and routines that can be offloaded to AI agents, along with estimated monthly hours saved. This is the first step toward systematic AI implementation, allowing you to clearly understand where to focus efforts and which departments need training first. Get your report here: https://course.aiadvisoryboard.me/uk/orgchart?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=article_body&utm_campaign=orgchart

Definition: A working automation is a software tool that executes an agreed-upon business process scenario using company data and within its tools, validated by predefined success criteria.

How this works on our side: AI Advisory Board's corporate AI intensive includes 4 live sessions, each 2 hours long, over 2 weeks. Up to 20 company employees can participate for one fixed price. The outcome is a minimum of 3 working automations with a money-back guarantee, built using your data and within your tools. Each participant receives a recorded video course and ongoing support. Payment is made via invoice to the company with VAT. https://course.aiadvisoryboard.me/corporate?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=article_body&utm_campaign=corporate

FAQ

Can AI be implemented without team training?

Yes, but it will be a piecemeal use of individual tools, rarely leading to a systemic effect. For a true impact, every key employee must possess the skills to create their own automations. This ensures AI scales and integrates into daily operations.

Should we start training with frontline employees?

No, you should start with the owner or a group of key employees, then involve frontline staff. This ensures an understanding of AI at all company levels and proper task delegation. Frontline employees should learn from those who already see AI's strategic potential.

How do you measure the effectiveness of AI training?

Effectiveness is measured by the quantity and quality of automations created and implemented, and their impact on time, cost, or work quality. It's crucial to track these metrics before and after training. See also our article on how to measure the success of AI implementation with metrics: /uk/blog/ai-adoption-metrics-guide.

Conclusion

Choosing an AI training provider is a strategic decision for your business. By asking the right questions, you can avoid disappointment and ensure your investment yields real, measurable results. Start with a free 30-minute diagnostic consultation to break down one real challenge facing your company and understand how AI can help you specifically.