How much does an AI consultant cost?

In the UK, independent AI consultants typically charge £80 to £200 per hour, with day rates between £500 and £1,200. Boutique consultancies charge more, and the Big 4 rarely take engagements under £60,000. Fixed-fee projects are common at the smaller end: an initial assessment or audit usually costs £500 to £2,000, a scoped implementation £3,000 to £10,000, and ongoing advisory retainers £2,000 to £8,000 per month. For context, our own pricing sits at the SME end of that range: a £499 AI Assessment, a £1,500 AI Core Audit, and a £4,950 AI Core Build. The honest rule of thumb: if a consultant cannot explain how their fee maps to hours saved or revenue gained, keep looking.