Do we need to hire AI specialists, or can we upskill existing employees with AI tools?

Most mid-market companies need AI-augmented generalists, not specialists. Upskilling your existing team delivers faster results — and they already understand your business.

What AI capabilities do we need in-house versus what can we access through partners or vendors?

Build in-house only what is core to your competitive advantage. Everything else is better accessed through vendors or partners who specialize in it.

If we are considering acquiring a company for its AI capability, is the value in the technology, the team, or the data?

AI technology depreciates quickly — today's breakthrough is next year's commodity. Teams and proprietary datasets hold more durable value. Evaluate acquisitions on what cannot be replicated.

The AI Industry

AI talent acquisition & M&A

By Mark Ziler · Last updated 2026-04-05

The biggest AI companies are in an arms race for talent — acquiring entire startups just to hire their engineers. This drives up the cost of AI expertise everywhere. For a mid-market business, the practical implication is clear: you probably can't hire a dedicated AI team at current market rates. The alternative is partnering with firms that have the expertise and building your internal team's AI literacy gradually.

Go deeper

You've been trying to hire someone who understands both your operations and AI for six months. Every qualified candidate wants $200K+ and is fielding five competing offers. Meanwhile, the consulting firm you're talking to quotes $50K for an AI strategy engagement. That's the talent market reality: the people who can bridge business operations and AI implementation are in extremely high demand.

The trap most companies fall into is waiting to start their AI journey until they can hire a dedicated AI person. That hire may never come at a price you can afford. The alternative path is to invest in the AI literacy of the smart operators you already have — your best dispatcher, your sharpest billing analyst, your most technically curious manager. Pair their domain expertise with structured AI training and access to external technical guidance when needed.

Questions to ask

Instead of hiring an AI specialist, which of our current team members are most likely to become effective AI power users with the right training and tools?
What's our realistic budget for AI expertise — can we afford a full-time hire, or is a fractional or advisory arrangement more sustainable?
Are we losing institutional operational knowledge to competitors who are offering AI-related career growth to our best people?