Independent AI Advisory
Alternatives to Big Four AI Advisory in Ireland
How Acuity AI Advisory compares to the Big Four on independence, fee structure, and who actually does the work.
The short answer
The Big Four AI practices have commercial relationships with major technology platforms that shape what they recommend. Acuity AI Advisory has no vendor relationships, no platform partnerships, and no interest in recommending anything that does not fit the client's situation. That structural difference matters when making strategic AI decisions.
Side-by-side comparison
When Big Four makes sense
There are situations where Big Four resources are the right choice. Organisations should use them when:
- —Global technology transformation programmes requiring international delivery teams
- —Large multinational organisations needing a single firm across multiple jurisdictions
- —Programmes where a vendor partnership is the point — e.g., a Microsoft Azure migration led by a Microsoft partner
- —Engagements where regulatory familiarity across multiple regions is essential
When Acuity makes more sense
For most Irish organisations, the following situations are better served by an independent advisor:
- AI governance frameworks and EU AI Act compliance for Irish organisations
- Board-level AI education and director briefings
- Independent vendor selection — where you need advice that is not shaped by a platform relationship
- Fixed-scope diagnostics before committing to a larger programme
- Organisations where the principal-to-client relationship matters
Common questions
Are Big Four AI consultants independent?
No, not structurally. The Big Four AI practices — Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG — have embedded commercial partnerships with major technology platforms including Microsoft, Google, and AWS. These are revenue-generating partnerships that shape the recommendations their AI teams make. Their advisors are not necessarily acting in bad faith, but the commercial structure creates incentives that are not perfectly aligned with giving you the most independent advice. This is not a criticism — it is simply how those businesses are built.
What is vendor-neutral AI advisory?
Vendor-neutral AI advisory means the advisor has no commercial relationships with technology vendors — no referral fees, no partnership revenue, and no incentive to inflate the engagement to keep a bench of juniors billable. The advice is shaped entirely by the client's situation, not by who pays a commission. Acuity has no technology platform and no stake in which tools you choose — and when the answer is to build something, we build it at the size the problem actually needs, not the size that maximises the fee.
How much does AI advisory cost compared to Big Four?
Big Four AI advisory engagements for Irish organisations typically run into six figures for any substantive piece of work, billed at daily rates by mixed teams. Acuity AI Advisory operates on a fixed-fee basis, with engagements sized to fit Irish SMEs — typically a fraction of Big Four cost. Smaller firms begin with an AI Clarity Session (a half-day diagnostic with written findings) and scale up to diagnostics, workshops, or full strategy and governance engagements only if and when it's the right next step. The total cost is agreed in writing after a short scoping call, before any work begins.
What does Acuity do that Big Four do not?
Four things. First, we have no vendor relationships — our recommendations are shaped entirely by your situation. Second, engagements are delivered directly by Ger Perdisatt, a former Microsoft COO with operational AI experience at scale, not by a junior team assembled for the project. Third, all engagements are fixed-fee with defined deliverables, so you know exactly what you are getting and what it costs. Fourth, we are sized for Irish organisations — SMEs, regulated entities, and boards — not global multinationals.
Independent AI advisory — start with a conversation
No vendor relationships. No platform partnerships. Clear thinking on where AI creates value for your organisation.
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