AI Consultancy That Gives You Clarity, Not Just Hype
Hartz AI provides AI consultancy for UK SMEs with 10 to 250 employees. We deliver readiness audits, strategic roadmaps and fractional Chief AI Officer support so your leadership team can make confident, evidence-based decisions about AI without hiring a full-time specialist.
According to McKinsey, companies with a clear AI strategy are 2.5 times more likely to achieve significant value from AI. Hartz AI builds capability, not dependency - 85% of our clients become self-sufficient within 12 months.
Hartz AI provides AI consultancy for UK SMEs, from readiness audits and strategic roadmapping to fractional Chief AI Officer services. We help businesses with 10 to 250 employees build AI capability through expert guidance, phased implementation and measurable outcomes.
What does AI consultancy actually do for a business?
Hartz AI consultancy assesses your organisation's readiness, identifies where AI creates measurable value, and produces a prioritised roadmap your leadership team can act on with confidence. Hartz AI serves businesses with 10 to 250 employees.
That means readiness audits that evaluate 40+ processes to surface genuine risks and opportunities, strategic roadmaps tied to your business goals, and fractional Chief AI Officer support for ongoing governance and decision-making.
The UK Government AI Council recommends that SMEs start with a structured assessment of AI readiness before investing in tools. Our consultancy follows exactly this principle - evidence first, investment second.
How is AI consultancy different from hiring a contractor or freelancer?
A contractor builds what you ask for. A consultant helps you decide what to build in the first place and whether AI is even the right solution. The distinction matters because the most expensive AI mistake is automating the wrong process.
Contractors execute against a brief. Consultants shape the brief itself by assessing your current capabilities, mapping organisational risk, and identifying which processes will deliver the strongest return on AI investment.
Hartz AI consultancy builds capability, not dependency. We work across strategy, governance, and vendor evaluation so your investment decisions are grounded in evidence rather than vendor promises. Our goal is that your team leads AI initiatives independently within 12 months.
What measurable outcomes should you expect from AI consultancy?
You should expect a documented readiness assessment, a prioritised roadmap with estimated ROI for each initiative, and a governance framework that gives your board confidence in ongoing AI decisions.
After a readiness audit, our clients typically identify two to three high-impact opportunities they had either overlooked or misjudged. The roadmap then sequences these by expected return and implementation complexity, so you invest in the right order.
According to McKinsey (2024), companies with a clear AI strategy are 2.5 times more likely to achieve significant value from AI. Hartz AI offers fractional Chief AI Officer services for organisations that need ongoing strategic governance and faster decision cycles without a full-time hire.
Talk to us about expected outcomesDo you need AI consultancy or AI training?
If your team lacks AI fluency, start with training. If your leadership team understands AI but needs a structured plan to apply it, consultancy is the right move. Many organisations benefit from both, starting with training to build a shared foundation.
Training builds capability across your workforce so people can use AI tools confidently in their daily roles. Consultancy operates at the strategic level, helping leadership decide where AI fits within the broader business plan and how to govern it responsibly.
The most effective approach combines both. Training ensures your team can execute, and consultancy ensures they are executing on the right priorities. We help you sequence both so neither investment is wasted.
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.
Build Understanding
Use AI Training to create shared understanding and confidence across your teams.
AI TrainingDiagnose & Decide
Use Readiness Audits and Roadmaps to decide what to do, in what order, and why.
AI ConsultancyImplement & Optimise
Use AI Implementation and Bespoke AI Solutions to turn strategy into systems.
AI ImplementationEmbed & Lead
Use AI Champion Programmes and fractional CAIO to embed capability and leadership.
AI Champion ProgrammesBuild Understanding
Use AI Training to create shared understanding and confidence across your teams.
AI TrainingDiagnose & Decide
Use Readiness Audits and Roadmaps to decide what to do, in what order, and why.
AI ConsultancyImplement & Optimise
Use AI Implementation and Bespoke AI Solutions to turn strategy into systems.
AI ImplementationEmbed & Lead
Use AI Champion Programmes and fractional CAIO to embed capability and leadership.
AI Champion ProgrammesNot sure if you need consultancy or training?
If your team needs to build AI fluency before making strategic decisions, training is usually the right starting point. Many organisations combine both - training first, then consultancy to shape the plan.
Explore AI TrainingNeed us to build, not just advise?
If you already know what you need and want hands-on implementation - custom AI workflows, bespoke tools, or system integration - our implementation team can take your roadmap and make it real.
Explore AI ImplementationFAQs About AI Consultancy
Common 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.
Clarity before complexity
Ready 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.