CIO checklist: 10 crucial questions to ask providers of AI solutions for your company

Artificial intelligence (AI) is more than just a buzzword - it is a fundamental driver of digital transformation and is changing the rules of the game in almost every industry. For Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and executives, this represents a huge opportunity, but also a significant challenge. The market for AI solutions is crowded with providers making big promises. But how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? How do you ensure that an investment in AI is not just a technological gimmick, but generates real, measurable business value?

Choosing the right partner is the key success factor for any AI initiative. A wrong choice can lead to expensive, failed projects, frustrated teams and a loss of competitive advantage. To help you make this critical decision, we have put together a checklist of 10 strategic questions. These questions go far beyond technical specifications and will help you pierce the bubbles and assess the true competence and strategic fit of a potential partner.

The 10 crucial questions for your provider evaluation

Ask these questions to make sure that your future partner can not only write code, but also develop and implement a sustainable AI strategy for your company.

1. how do you understand our business model and what specific value drivers do you identify for the use of AI in our company?

Why this question is crucial: Many vendors focus on the technology, not the business problem. However, a successful enterprise AI solution always starts with a deep understanding of your organization's specific processes, challenges and goals. Without this context, AI is just an expensive experiment.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider asks specific questions about your business model, your customers and your strategic goals. They do not talk about "AI" in general, but about specific use cases such as AI process optimization in your supply chain, predictive maintenance to reduce downtimes in production or the improvement of knowledge management through intelligent search functions. He can make initial hypotheses as to where AI has the greatest leverage - be it in reducing costs, increasing sales or minimizing risk.
• A red flag: The provider immediately presents a standard solution without really understanding your business. He uses generic phrases such as "increase efficiency" or "utilize data" without relating this to your specific case.

At CorpIn, every partnership starts with listening. We know that technology is just a tool. The real value comes when it is used to solve a relevant business problem. A thorough assessment is the first step. With our CorpIn Hexagon platform you can self-assess your company's AI maturity level and identify the most promising starting points on an empirical basis.

2. can you show us reference projects from our industry or with similar challenges?

Why this question is crucial: There is no substitute for experience. Successful projects in the past are the best indicator of future success. Industry knowledge speeds up projects considerably, as the basic vocabulary and specific challenges are already known.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider can present detailed case studies that describe not only the result, but also the path to it - including the hurdles and how they were overcome. Ideally, these will be from your industry or a related industry. They can quantify the ROI achieved and put you in touch with a reference customer.
• A red flag: The provider is evasive, refers to non-disclosure agreements (NDA) without offering alternatives or only presents very superficial project details.

As specialists in AI consulting, we continuously document and analyze the market and its developments, such as in our Swiss AI Report 2025. Our team combines expertise from numerous digital transformation projects with AI and applies these findings to your challenges in a targeted manner.

3. which process model do you use for implementation - from strategy to operation?

Why this question is crucial: A structured, transparent process is the backbone of a successful AI project. Without a clear process model, there is a risk of scope creep, budget overruns and unclear responsibilities. You need to know what to expect at every stage of the project.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider presents an agile but structured phase model (e.g. Discovery -> Proof of Concept -> Minimum Viable Product -> Scaling -> Operation). They clearly explain the goals, activities and results of each phase and how you as the customer will be involved.
• A red flag: The procedure seems improvised or excessively rigid ("waterfall"). There are no clear milestones or decision points.

At CorpIn we work according to our proven CorpIn Hexagon framework. This holistic model ensures that all six critical dimensions of a successful AI implementation - from strategy to technology to people - are considered. It provides a clear roadmap and creates transparency throughout the entire project cycle. Our AI workshops are often the ideal way to start shaping the first phase of this journey together.

4. how do you ensure data quality and data security throughout the entire project cycle?

Why this question is crucial: AI models are only as good as the data they are trained with. Garbage in, garbage out. At the same time, company data is a highly sensitive asset. Data security and compliance with regulations (such as the GDPR) are non-negotiable.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider has a clear process for data assessment, cleansing and enrichment. They can explain in detail what technical and organizational measures they take to protect your data (e.g. encryption, anonymization, access controls) and where the data is hosted (keyword: EU or Swiss cloud).
• A red flag: The provider plays down the importance of data quality ("We'll get it right") or has no convincing answers to questions about data security and compliance.

As a Swiss company, the highest standards of data protection and security are a matter of course for us at CorpIn. Dimension is a central pillar of our Hexagon framework, because we know that: A robust data basis is the prerequisite for any form of artificial intelligence in the company.

5. how do you measure the success and ROI of an AI implementation?

Why this question is crucial: An AI initiative is an investment, not an expense. You need to know from the outset how success will be measured and when the investment will pay off. Clear KPIs are essential to legitimize the value of the project to management and other stakeholders.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider suggests working with you at the start of the project to define measurable KPIs that are directly linked to the business value drivers identified in question 1. These can be operational metrics (e.g. reduction of processing time by X%), financial metrics (e.g. cost savings of Y €) or quality indicators (e.g. reduction of the error rate by Z%).
• A red flag: Measuring success is vague and focuses on technical metrics (e.g. model accuracy) rather than business impact.

A clean AI strategy, such as the one we develop with our customers, always includes a clear measurement concept. Success must be plannable and measurable from the outset. This is the only way to turn a technological project into a sustainable business improvement.

6. what technological expertise and platform independence do you offer?

Why this question is crucial: You want the best solution for your problem, not the solution that the provider happens to have in their portfolio. An independent consultant who is familiar with different technologies and platforms can give you objective advice and prevent vendor lock-in.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider demonstrates broad expertise across various cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), AI models (e.g. from OpenAI, Anthropic, open source alternatives) and tools. He emphasizes that the technology selection is based on your specific requirements and existing IT landscape.
• A red flag: The provider strongly favors a single technology or platform and tries to convince you that this is the best solution for everything.

CorpIn acts as your independent partner and strategic AI advisor. Our loyalty is to you, not a specific technology vendor. We help you navigate through the jungle of options and build a future-proof, flexible architecture.

7. what is your approach to change management and employee empowerment?

Why this question is crucial: The best technology is useless if employees do not accept it or even fear it. The introduction of AI is always also a cultural change. Active change management and the empowerment of the workforce are crucial for the sustainable anchoring of AI in the company.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: the provider sees change management as an integral part of the project. He proposes concrete measures, such as stakeholder communication, user training or co-creation formats, to get employees on board at an early stage and reduce fears. He talks about "augmented intelligence" (human-machine collaboration) instead of just automation.
• A red flag: The topic is dismissed as a "customer problem" or reduced to simple user training at the end of the project.

The dimension is a core element of our Hexagon framework. Our AI workshops for companies are designed not only to impart knowledge, but also to promote a positive, curious culture towards AI and turn your employees into active shapers of change.

8. how scalable is the proposed solution and how is ongoing operation (MLOps) ensured?

Why this question is crucial: A successful proof of concept is only the beginning. The real challenge lies in integrating an AI solution into the productive IT landscape in a stable, secure and high-performance manner and operating it there. You need a plan for the "day after".

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: the provider talks proactively about topics such as scalability, monitoring, maintenance and the continuous improvement of the models (MLOps). They can present a clear plan for technical operation and support after the go-live.
• A red flag: The focus is exclusively on the initial development. Questions about operation are only answered vaguely or evasively.

We think in life cycles. Our goal is to create solutions that not only work today, but grow with your business. A solid AI strategy includes planning for operation and scaling right from the start.

9. what ethical guidelines do you follow when using AI?

Why this question is crucial: Responsible AI is no longer a "soft factor". Issues such as bias in data, transparency of decisions (explainable AI) and fairness are business-critical and are also becoming increasingly important due to regulations such as the EU AI Act.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The provider has a clear framework for ethical AI. It can explain how it identifies and mitigates potential biases in data and models and how it ensures the necessary transparency of AI decisions.
• A red flag: The topic is dismissed as irrelevant or the provider has no concrete processes or guidelines.

This is also one of the six dimensions of our CorpIn Hexagon framework. We are convinced that trust is the currency of the digital future. That is why the development of ethical and transparent AI solutions is not just an obligation for us, but an integral part of our work.

10. what is your pricing and contract model?

Why this question is crucial: Transparency in costs and contracts is the basis of a trusting partnership. You need to know exactly what you are getting into and what costs you will incur - even during ongoing operations.

What you should pay attention to when answering:

• A good answer: The pricing model is clear and comprehensible (e.g. project-based, effort-based, retainer). The provider discloses which services are included and where additional costs (e.g. for cloud use, licenses, maintenance) could potentially be incurred.
• A red flag: non-transparent package prices, unclear information on running costs or high pressure to sign a long-term contract quickly.

We believe in partnership at eye level. That's why we rely on transparent models. A joint AI workshop or an initial assessment with our Hexagon platform are often ideal, manageable first steps to get to know each other and build trust before making any major commitments.

Conclusion: The right partner is your most important success factor

Choosing an artificial intelligence provider for your company is one of the most important strategic decisions you can make today. You're not just choosing a supplier, you're choosing a partner who will play a key role in shaping the future of your business. A partner who answers these 10 questions confidently, honestly and in a business-oriented manner understands that digital transformation with AI is about more than just algorithms. It's about a holistic change that encompasses strategy, data, technology, processes and, above all, people.

At CorpIn, we live this holistic approach. Our CorpIn Hexagon model serves as a compass to ensure that all critical dimensions of your AI journey are considered - for solutions that are not only intelligent, but also sustainable, responsible and value-adding.

Are you ready to ask the right questions and find the right partner for your AI initiatives?

Let's start a conversation. We will take the time to understand your specific challenges and goals.

Book your non-binding introductory meeting with our experts here. https://calendly.com/d/3z4-m78-xdj/corpin-kennenlernen

Or would you like to make a well-founded assessment first?

Find out where your company really stands. Evaluate your AI maturity level free of charge and in just a few minutes with our scientifically based platform.

Start your free analysis now on the CorpIn Hexagon platform. https://www.corpin.ch/hexagon

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