AI Consultancy That Gives You
Clarity, Not Just Hype
Hartz AI helps UK SMEs move from “we should probably do something with AI” to “we know exactly what to do, why it matters, and how to do it well.”
Through AI readiness audits, strategic roadmapping, and fractional Chief AI Officer support, we give leaders the confidence, structure, and direction they need to make smart decisions about AI.
Is AI Consultancy the Right Fit for You?
AI consultancy is usually the right choice if you:
- Know AI is important, but aren’t sure where to start or what to prioritise.
- Need to make AI decisions at board or leadership level.
- Have teams experimenting with AI, but no joined-up strategy.
- Want AI to support your existing strategy, not distract from it.
This page explains what AI consultancy with Hartz AI looks like, how it connects to training and implementation, and the different ways we can support you, including fractional Chief AI Officer roles.
We advise leadership teams across sport, charities, professional services, education, and real estate in the UK.
What We Mean by “AI Consultancy”
AI consultancy at Hartz AI is about giving you clarity, structure, and confidence; not dropping a 120-page strategy document on your desk and disappearing.
We work with you to:
- Understand your current AI readiness, risk, and opportunity.
- Identify where AI can create real value for your organisation and not just “cool demos”.
- Design a realistic roadmap that respects your resources, risks, and constraints.
- Support leadership through fractional Chief AI Officer roles where needed.
For many SMEs, AI consultancy is what turns “AI is on our agenda” into “we know what we’re doing, in what order, and why”.
Talk to us about AI consultancyCore Elements of AI Consultancy
Our consultancy work with SMEs usually includes some combination of:
- AI Readiness Audit - where you are today and what needs to be true to move forward.
- Strategic AI Roadmap - a prioritised, realistic plan with clear outcomes.
- Fractional Chief AI Officer (CAIO) - executive-level leadership without a full-time hire.
- Custom Advisory - support for specific decisions, investments, or transformation projects.
Specific offers and engagement models live on the individual service pages so this page can stay focused on the role of consultancy in your overall AI journey.
The Main Ways We Deliver AI Consultancy
Our consultancy work is flexible but structured. These core engagement types give you different ways to access strategic support, depending on where you’re starting from and what you need.
AI Readiness Audit
A structured assessment of where you stand today, covering capability, risk, tools, data, and culture, so you know exactly what’s realistic.
- Understand your current AI maturity.
- Map key risks, gaps, and opportunities.
- Give leadership a realistic starting point.
Strategic AI Roadmap
A clear, prioritised plan that connects AI opportunities to your goals, constraints, and capacity.
- Identify high-impact, low-friction starting points.
- Sequence projects so change feels manageable.
- Give leaders a realistic view of timelines and outcomes.
Fractional Chief AI Officer
Executive-level AI leadership on a part-time basis giving you direction, governance, and momentum without the cost of a full-time hire.
- Ongoing strategic guidance and decision support.
- Governance, policy, and ethical considerations.
- Support in evaluating tools, vendors, and investments.
How AI Consultancy Fits with Training, Implementation & Champions
Consultancy isn’t a standalone activity. It sits at the heart of your AI journey connecting training, implementation, and long-term capability so you move in a joined-up way.
STEP 1
Build Understanding
Use AI Training to create shared understanding and confidence across your teams.
AI TrainingSTEP 2
Diagnose & Decide
Use Readiness Audits and Roadmaps to decide what to do, in what order, and why.
AI ConsultancySTEP 3
Implement & Optimise
Use AI Implementation and Bespoke AI Solutions to turn strategy into systems.
AI ImplementationSTEP 4
Embed & Lead
Use AI Champion Programmes and fractional CAIO to embed capability and leadership.
AI Champion ProgrammesWhat Organisations Gain from AI Consultancy
Good AI consultancy doesn’t give you buzzwords. It gives you better decisions, clearer priorities, and fewer expensive mistakes.
- Clarity on what AI means for your organisation, in your language, not ours.
- Confidence to say “yes” and “no” to the right projects.
- Alignment across leadership so AI decisions feel joined up, not reactive.
- Momentum. Because when everyone knows the plan, it’s much easier to move.
Is AI Consultancy the Right First Move?
AI consultancy is usually a good starting point if:
- You’re under pressure to “do something with AI” but don’t want to act blindly.
- There’s experimentation happening, but no shared direction.
- You want AI to support your existing strategy, not derail it.
- You need someone who can talk confidently about AI in board-level conversations.
If your teams are still very new to AI, you might want to start with:
AI Training & WorkshopsCommon Questions About AI Consultancy with Hartz AI
These questions help you understand what AI consultancy feels like in practice, and how it complements training, implementation, and leadership support.
Do we need AI training before AI consultancy?
Not always. If your leadership team already has a good grasp of AI concepts, we can move straight into readiness and strategy work. If there are big knowledge gaps or worries about jargon, we might recommend a focused training session first to bring everyone to the same baseline.
How is consultancy different from implementation?
Consultancy is where we think together about readiness, risk, opportunity, and direction. Implementation is where we build and deploy actual workflows, tools, or bespoke solutions. Strategy first, build second.
Learn about AI ImplementationWhat exactly does a Fractional Chief AI Officer do?
A fractional CAIO acts as your AI leader helping you make decisions, design strategy, evaluate vendors, create governance, and keep AI aligned with your business goals. You get executive-level input on a flexible, part-time basis instead of hiring a full-time executive.
Explore Fractional CAIO in more detailCan consultancy lead into bespoke AI solutions?
Yes. Consultancy often reveals use cases where off-the-shelf tools aren’t quite enough. In those cases, we may recommend Bespoke AI Solutions such as private GPTs, custom workflows, or internal AI tools tailored to your organisation.
Explore Bespoke AI SolutionsReady to Make Clear, Confident Decisions About AI?
If AI is on your agenda, you deserve conversations that feel grounded, honest, and practical, not overwhelming or salesy. Let’s talk about where you are, where you want to go, and how AI can support that journey in a realistic way.
