The Gist We often debate AI adoption in terms of cost or speed (SaaS vs. Custom). But this CTO perspective flips the script: the real currency isn't money, it's Control.
- Buying (SaaS/Wrapper): You gain speed, but do you lose data sovereignty?
- Building (In-house/Open Source): You gain control, but is your data governance mature enough to feed the beast?
The Verdict: Governance isn't just a safety net; it’s the deciding factor. If you can't guarantee data quality and security, both paths lead to failure.
Let’s Discuss:
- The "Control" Tax: Are you willing to pay a premium (building in-house) just to keep full governance over your data lineage?
- Vendor Trust: When "buying" AI, does your governance team actually vet the vendor's data handling, or is it just a procurement checkbox?