The Automat

Field notes from the bleeding edge of business

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Build, Buy, or Both: A Cost-of-Ownership Way to Decide on AI Software

Build, Buy, or Both: A Cost-of-Ownership Way to Decide on AI Software

Build, Buy, or Both: A Cost-of-Ownership Way to Decide on AI SoftwareDrew Donaldson
Published on: 10/06/2026

Build vs buy AI software is a capital-allocation call, not a feature checklist. Here is the cost-of-ownership math, the failure data, and a one-afternoon scoring rubric.

Buy Vs Build - AI Implementations & Integrations
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What an Agentic Department Actually Is (and Why Yours Probably Isn't One Yet)

What an Agentic Department Actually Is (and Why Yours Probably Isn't One Yet)

What an Agentic Department Actually Is (and Why Yours Probably Isn't One Yet)Drew Donaldson
Published on: 09/06/2026

An agentic department is a standing function where AI agents and people share one workflow under a single owner. Here's how to build one in 90 days.

Agentic AI & The Harness Races
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