If you’re eager to embark on your journey in the realm of AI and wish to develop models to tackle pertinent issues where you see business potential, it might be more feasible than you realise.

Crafting an MVP and garnering validation from the market has become a streamlined process. Here are a couple of methods to achieve this:

1. Leveraging Open Source Models: Numerous open-source models are readily accessible in the market. By customising and adapting these models to suit your needs, you can sidestep the need for extensive machine learning expertise. Even software developers with a grasp of coding can navigate this terrain. The key lies in selecting the appropriate model from the array available. For instance, modifying pre-existing models like TensorFlow or PyTorch can expedite the development of your AI solution significantly. 
2. Cost-Effective MVP Development: The financial investment required to develop a bare minimum viable product (MVP) is remarkably modest. Major players in the tech industry, such as Microsoft, Google, and NVIDIA, offer generous credits to facilitate the implementation of your model. Take Microsoft’s Azure platform, for instance, which provides initial credits worth $1000, extendable up to $150,000, thereby substantially reducing the financial burden on startups.
3. Utilising Public Datasets: Before delving into the realm of commercial datasets, startups can capitalise on the wealth of publicly available data sets to establish benchmarks and refine their models. Platforms like Kaggle, which host a plethora of datasets across various domains, offer invaluable resources for AI startups to kickstart their projects without incurring hefty expenses.

By adopting these strategies, startups can accelerate their entry into the AI market while keeping costs at bay. This agile approach not only expedites the development process but also minimizes financial risk, paving the way for innovation and growth in the burgeoning AI landscape.

Where does it get challenging ?

Transitioning from building a basic MVP to commercialising an AI model presents a formidable challenge for startups. Operationalising the model involves directing energy and finances towards creating user journeys that resonate with target audiences and optimising infrastructure for deployment. Startups must invest in robust hardware, like powerful GPUs, while also assembling skilled teams of engineers and designers to refine the model effectively. Despite the availability of shared infrastructure services for GPU utilisation, significant time and effort are still required to optimize the model while managing costs concurrently.

Fortunately, startups can leverage resources like Paperspace, Vast AI etc. which offers scalable GPU cloud computing solutions, facilitating access to high-performance computing resources without the burden of upfront infrastructure investment. By strategically utilising such platforms, startups can streamline the optimisation process and allocate resources more efficiently, expediting their journey to commercial success in the competitive AI landscape.

How to solve for the challenges ?

The evolving AI ecosystem offers startups a wealth of resources to streamline their development processes and reduce costs. From cloud and compute platforms like Microsoft, Google, IBM, NVIDIA, and AMD to foundational models provided by OpenAI, stability.ai, and Anthropic, startups can leverage existing technologies rather than building everything from scratch.

Additionally, MLOps companies such as OctoML and MLFlow, along with data management solutions from PrivateAI and Superconductive, offer further support at every stage of the development process. By integrating these platforms and services, startups can significantly shorten their time to market while simultaneously minimizing costs. This collaborative approach allows startups to tap into the collective expertise of the AI community and accelerate their journey to success. Here is Gen AI stack for reference.

As a final note, even if your company isn’t inherently focused on AI, it’s crucial to embrace its potential by incorporating an AI champion into your team. This individual can dedicate time to exploring the plethora of available AI tools and resources, starting with obvious disruptor areas like customer care and branching out into other domains. It’s essential to begin this journey sooner rather than later to stay ahead of the curve.

At NSRCEL, we’re committed to supporting both Gen AI companies and those transitioning into the AI landscape across various sectors, including legal, customer care, marketing, fashion, healthcare, and beyond. By helping companies adapt to Gen AI, we aim to foster innovation and drive growth in an increasingly AI-driven world.