AI That Actually Ships
Everyone is talking about AI. Few are shipping it well. Here's what we've learned from integrating AI into 8 production applications.
What Works
- Smart search — Vector embeddings + semantic search is a game-changer
- Content generation — Draft creation with human review loops
- Classification — Auto-tagging, sentiment analysis, intent detection
- Summarization — Turning long documents into actionable briefs
What Doesn't (Yet)
- Fully autonomous decision-making in critical paths
- Replacing human judgment in nuanced scenarios
- "Just add AI" without clear problem definition
Cost Reality Check
For a typical SaaS with 10K daily active users:
- OpenAI API costs: ~$200-500/month
- Vector database (Pinecone): ~$70/month
- Custom fine-tuning: One-time $500-2000
- Total ROI: 10x in reduced manual work