What moves the range
The main cost drivers are the number of business units and systems in scope, the quality of the existing inventory, the number of executive and board forums involved, regulatory or diligence deadlines, evidence quality, and whether the work ends with advice or includes operating accountability.
The top of a range usually buys complexity absorbed at senior level: more stakeholders, harder decisions, higher evidence standards, and deeper accountability for implementation.
How to compare proposals
Compare the accountable senior time, named outputs, decision rights, evidence standard, and what happens after the presentation. A lower proposal that stops at recommendations may be more expensive if the organization still has to create ownership and operating discipline afterward.
What a useful first conversation should establish
A credible scoping conversation should determine the trigger, the decision due, who must trust the output, what evidence exists, and whether the organization needs a ruling, a plan, a shared baseline, or an accountable executive seat.
| Engagement shape | Typical planning range | Primary output |
|---|---|---|
| Executive AI Workshop | $15,000 to $35,000 | Shared baseline, decisions, and action record |
| AI Readiness Assessment | $25,000 to $45,000 | Portfolio ruling and governance-gap map |
| AI Strategy Intensive | $35,000 to $75,000 | Funded operating plan and target model |
| Embedded Executive Leadership | $15,000 to $35,000 per month | Senior accountability inside the operating cadence |