Key takeaways
- One use case. 2–4 weeks. Clear success criteria.
- Test with real scenarios. Find failures early.
- POC de-risks: learn cheaply or scale with confidence.
Before you commit to a full AI agent build, run a proof of concept. A POC validates the approach, surfaces risks, and gives you data to decide. Here's how to do it.
Define the scope
Pick one use case. Appointment booking, FAQ handling, or lead qualification. Narrow enough to build in 2–4 weeks. Broad enough to be meaningful.
Success criteria
What would make the POC a success? Handle 70% of calls without escalation? Reduce support tickets by 30%? Define it upfront so you know when you're done.
Build and test
Build the happy path and a few common edge cases. Test with real scenarios—or real users if possible. Find the failures before you scale.
Decide
If it works: plan the production build. If it doesn't: you've learned cheaply. Either way, you're better off than betting big upfront.
FAQs
Typically £1–3k depending on scope and complexity. The cost breakdown article has the full picture.
You've learned what doesn't work. That's valuable. Adjust the approach or try a different use case.