AI Tool Evaluation Checklist

Business Need

• ☐What specific problem will this AI tool solve?
  Be clear about the pain point before looking at solutions
• ☐How much time/money will it save weekly?
  Calculate ROI based on time saved × hourly rate
• ☐Who on the team will use it and are they willing to learn?
  Tools only work if people actually use them

Security & Privacy

• ☐Where is my data stored and processed?
  Check if it's Australian/local or overseas
• ☐What happens to data after I cancel?
  Confirm data deletion policies
• ☐Is the tool compliant with Australian privacy laws?
  Important for customer data handling
• ☐Can I prevent my data from being used to train AI models?
  Most enterprise plans offer this

Integration

• ☐Does it integrate with my existing tools?
  Check for direct integrations or Zapier/Make support
• ☐Can I export my data if I switch tools later?
  Avoid vendor lock-in

Pricing

• ☐What's the true cost including all users/features I need?
  Watch for per-seat pricing that scales unexpectedly
• ☐Is there a free trial or money-back guarantee?
  Never commit long-term without testing first

Support

• ☐What support is available and in what timezone?
  Check if support hours align with your business