Roundup· 1 min
AI with ten employees and no IT department
Count of subscriptions matters more than features at this size.
AI Tools Hub Editorial · published · updated
Different constraints
- No IT function — you configure and troubleshoot
- No approval process, and also no second opinion
- One person holds several roles
- Contract management is informal
Priority order
| Order | What | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | One general AI assistant | Broadest use, highest frequency |
| 2 | A specialist tool for your core work | Largest single effect |
| 3 | Transcription and meeting notes | Clear time saving |
| 4 | Image and document creation | Can displace outsourcing cost |
| 5 | Automation, once genuinely needed | You are the maintainer |
Do not move to the second until the first is exhausted. Without knowing what the general assistant can do, you cannot tell whether a specialist tool is needed.
Minimum governance even alone
- Decide which tools may receive customer data — preferably none
- Keep a list of active subscriptions, reconciled against the card statement
- Register accounts on a company address, never a personal one
- Review cancellations every six months
Audit the statement
Five unused subscriptions at $20 is $1,200 a year. Read the card statement twice a year and cut.
Compare against outsourcing
A $20 tool that saves five hours a month pays for itself above $4 an hour. Conversely, subscribing for a task you perform once a month rarely beats paying someone for it.
FAQ
How many tools can one person manage?
Three to five. Past that you lose track of what each one does and keep paying for the ones nobody opens.