The Build-Buy Decision Changes After You Sign: The Maintenance Reality
Drew DonaldsonPublished on: 06/08/2026
AI software maintenance cost is the line item build-vs-buy analyses forget: 15% to 30% of build cost per year, pushing total cost of ownership to 1.4 to 2x. How to price it in before you sign.
AI maintenance costbuild vs buytotal cost of ownershipmodel driftMLOpsAI implementation