From FrankenSTACK to FrankenCHOICE - Picking the right AI tool for your startup or SME

Boo! Happy Halloween!

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What is a Frankenstack?

A Frankenstack is a collection of unintegrated and often mismatched software tools and platforms. The term is a playful nod to Frankenstein's monster - pieced together in a lab and, let’s be honest, not particularly attractive.

Fran-ken-stack (noun) is a group of separate systems loosely cobbled together, usually through a one-way sync, with no single source of truth. Multiple vendors sell it as a 'Tech Stack'.

The concept of the Frankenstack goes back 40 years. The bane of many companies, small and large and across industries - the welcome mat for many a system integrator. And every five years, new Frankenstack surfaces for more categories greater in number than the number of noodles in your favourite Ramen.

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Has AI Become a Frankenstack?

Today, AI is a hot topic, but it is not new. Generally speaking, it is algorithms—algorithms that ran on IBM mainframes running at DoD, DOE and NASA in the 1960s in underground bunkers.

AI tools are not a frankenstack yet, but the choices can create a frankestack nightmare.

This is just one of dozens of AI tool cheat sheets floating around LinkedIn.

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How to Avoid an AI Frankenstack Nightmare?

When choosing an AI tool, you can consider things like:

• Accuracy: Whether the tool has a high accuracy rate for its intended tasks
• Scalability: Whether the tool can handle increasing data volumes, user loads, or computational demands without compromising performance
• Integration: Whether the tool is compatible with your current tech stack, including hardware, software, and data formats
• Ease of use: Whether the tool has a user-friendly interface and intuitive workflows
• Relevance: Whether the tool is pertinent to the specific problems or tasks your organization is looking to address
• Human in-the-loop: Whether the tool provides for human oversight and feedback
• Customization: Whether the tool offers customization options that allow you to build in your organization's tone and communication style
• Security and output accuracy: Whether the tool adheres to data protection and consumer privacy laws and regulations
• Cost-effectiveness: Whether the total cost of ownership, including initial setup, ongoing maintenance, and potential returns on investment, is reasonable
• Support: Whether the tool includes support from experts
• Governance: Whether the platform implements robust governance practices to ensure the standardization of data, the mitigation of bias and compliance with industry regulations

That’s a lot to consider in a market that is often moving way too fast for many of us.

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TED to the Rescue!

At TED, we’ve seen it all—AI tools that dazzle but don’t deliver and tech stacks that become tech frights. Our AI Adoption Service is here to help your startup or SME navigate the maze.

We’ll guide you through selecting the right AI tools, ensuring seamless integration with your existing systems. We focus on creating a cohesive tech ecosystem—no more patchwork solutions, no more data silos, and no more Frankenstack nightmares. Our experts will provide support from AI strategy, to selecting the right fit AI tools to set up to scaling, making sure your AI adoption is smooth and sustainable.

Leave the monsters to the movies, and let’s build something that works—together.