COURSE 20L0100% FREE
Verified 2026-08-14

Buying AI checklist

A practical **procurement checklist** for choosing AI vendors/tools without getting lost in demos. US federal buyers additionally track OMB AI-related memoranda; private buyers still need eval, privacy, and exit plans. **Not legal advice.**

What it is

A practical procurement checklist for choosing AI vendors/tools without getting lost in demos. US federal buyers additionally track OMB AI-related memoranda; private buyers still need eval, privacy, and exit plans. Not legal advice.

MEDIUM PRIORITYCHECKLIST
◷ IN PRODUCTION

Visual Spec & Architecture Diagram

Buying AI checklist one-pager: use case, data rights, security, eval evidence, exit plan, accessibility, human oversight. Checkbox design.

Educational Focus: Actionable procurement literacy.

Why it matters

Purchases lock in data flows, costs, and risk. Literacy beats brochureware. FTC materials emphasize truthful claims and consumer protection—marketing hype is an enforcement theme historically.

How it works (plain)

Check: use case fit, eval on *your* tasks (Course 18), data retention/training use, regions, access controls, incident process, exit plan, price drivers (tokens/seats/GPU), accessibility, copyright/training-data posture (Copyright Office AI reports), and who owns quality inside your org. For EU-facing products, triage AI Act risk categories early.

Everyday example

Buying a “smart” camera doorbell: ask where video is stored, who trains on it, and how you export/delete it—before the sale.

Try it

Score one vendor 0–2 on: eval evidence, data terms, security, exit, price clarity. Reject below a threshold you set.

Myths

⚠️ Myth: Enterprise logo = safe defaults.
✓ Reality: Contracts and configs decide.
⚠️ Myth: NIST RMF badge from a vendor replaces your diligence.
✓ Reality: RMF is a voluntary framework—ask for evidence artifacts.

Sources