Question 1

What is an AI Office?

Accepted Answer

An AI Office is a dedicated function inside your company that owns artificial intelligence end to end — strategy, governance, and execution — the way a finance office owns the budget. Spej provides one as a retained monthly partnership ($15K/month) so mid-market and enterprise companies get executive-level AI leadership and continuous delivery without making a full-time hire.

Question 2

How much does an AI Office cost?

Accepted Answer

The Spej AI Office is $15,000 per month. That includes governance framework design, biweekly leadership sessions, monthly executive briefings, tool and vendor evaluation, AI roadmap ownership, and one active initiative delivered every month in 2-4 week sprints. It starts with a six-month commitment and then continues month-to-month.

Question 3

What is a fractional Chief AI Officer, and is the AI Office the same thing?

Accepted Answer

A fractional Chief AI Officer (CAIO) is a part-time senior leader who sets AI direction for a company without joining full-time. The Spej AI Office includes that leadership but goes further: it is a full team — strategy, governance, and engineering — that also executes the work, not just one advisor. You get the direction of a fractional CAIO plus the hands to actually ship initiatives.

Question 4

AI Office vs hiring a full-time AI leader — which is better?

Accepted Answer

A full-time AI hire typically costs $250,000-$400,000 per year, takes 3-6 months to recruit, and is still a single person who needs a team to implement anything. The Spej AI Office starts in about two weeks, costs $15K/month, and brings a full team covering strategy, governance, and engineering. For most mid-market companies, the AI Office delivers results faster and at lower total cost than a single senior hire.

Question 5

How is the AI Office different from project-based AI consulting?

Accepted Answer

Project-based consulting delivers a deliverable and then leaves, creating gaps between phases with no continuity. The AI Office is a continuous operating model: it owns your AI roadmap over time, ships one initiative every month, and compounds value instead of restarting with each new statement of work.

Question 6

Who is the AI Office for?

Accepted Answer

The Spej AI Office is built for operations-heavy middle-market companies — roughly $50M to $1B in revenue — that have bought AI tools like Microsoft Copilot or ChatGPT Enterprise but have little to show for it. It fits organizations with complex, regulated workflows, scattered AI adoption, and no clear operating model for who owns AI decisions.

Question 7

How long does it take to see ROI from the AI Office?

Accepted Answer

Month one is a landscape audit that produces a governance framework and a prioritized roadmap. The first initiative ships in month two. Most clients see measurable value within 60 days of starting.

Question 8

What industries does Spej work with?

Accepted Answer

Spej works with construction and mechanical, manufacturing, financial services and insurance, banking and credit unions, healthcare and life sciences, energy and utilities, and professional services. The model is designed for operations-heavy, regulated industries where AI complexity is real.

Question 9

What does the AI Office actually deliver each month?

Accepted Answer

Every month the AI Office delivers one active initiative shipped in 2-4 week sprints, plus ongoing governance framework work, biweekly leadership working sessions, monthly executive briefings, tool and vendor evaluation, and ownership of your AI roadmap. Initiatives range from Copilot and ChatGPT Enterprise deployments to RAG and knowledge systems, workflow automation, and process redesign.

Question 10

Do I have to commit long-term?

Accepted Answer

The AI Office begins with a six-month commitment so there is time to stand up governance and ship real initiatives. After that it is month-to-month. Most clients stay 12 months or more because the value compounds over time.

Question 11

What if I only need a single project, not an ongoing partnership?

Accepted Answer

For organizations that require phased procurement, Spej offers standalone engagements: Discovery ($10-15K), Design & Pilot ($10-25K), and Delivery ($25-250K+). Most clients ultimately find the ongoing AI Office model more cost-effective than a series of one-off projects.

Question 12

Where is Spej based?

Accepted Answer

Spej is headquartered in Chicago (320 W Ohio St) with an office in Atlanta (1372 Peachtree St), but works with clients globally — anywhere in the world. The team spans multiple continents and supports engagements across every major time zone.

Everything about the AI Office, answered.

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