Editor's Synopsis
A Reddit discussion in r/MachineLearning explores whether starting an independent AI consulting or freelancing venture is viable in today's market. The original post was removed, but the comments offer rich, experience-based perspectives from practitioners across different markets. A co-founder of two AI consultancies in the German/DACH market shares a cautionary tale: the work was less glamorous than expected (mostly data engineering and reports), client acquisition was grueling, and the market quickly became saturated by major players like BCG Gamma and McKinsey's digital branch. However, a counterpoint from a Netherlands-based freelancer claims €100K profit in 2020 from deep learning projects, emphasizing that sales skills — not just technical ability — are the real differentiator.
Several commenters converge on a central theme: solving customer problems matters far more than selling "AI" as a service. One experienced consultant advises learning an industry and providing better solutions rather than leading with AI as a buzzword. Others note that most companies either want off-the-shelf solutions, prefer to build in-house, or have unrealistic expectations about AI capabilities. An independent NLP/ML consultant reports success working with small companies lacking internal AI expertise, while another freelancer stresses that vanilla software development keeps the lights on, with AI projects representing only about 10% of client demand — but at higher margins. The consensus is clear: technical skill alone is insufficient; sales ability, personal networks, and domain expertise are essential for building a sustainable AI consulting business.