Field Notes

Notes from shipping real AI systems

No think-pieces. No hype. Just what we’ve learned from scoping, building, and maintaining AI agents for operators who can’t afford to waste a quarter on a stuck project.

Apr 7, 20267 min read

Why Most AI Projects Fail (And It's Not the Models)

Every few months a client tells us their AI thing is broken and asks if we can swap in a better model. We almost never touch the model. Here's what's actually going wrong.

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Apr 7, 20269 min read

Build vs Buy for AI Automation: A Decision Framework

Every founder and ops lead we talk to has the same question: do we buy the AI tool or build our own? Here's the framework we use — and the uncomfortable fact that the right answer is often a hybrid neither side likes.

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Apr 7, 20268 min read

How to Scope an AI Agent Project Without Getting Burned

The scope document is where most AI agent projects are lost — before anyone writes a single line of code. A field-tested checklist for operators who don't want to hand over a blank check.

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