What is an AI audit, and what does it cost?

What does "AI audit" mean?

For a small business, the useful meaning is a review of how you work. You look at your jobs, your tools and your data, and you end up with a written plan that says which jobs to automate first and roughly what each would save. That is the meaning I use on this site, and it is close to what some people call an AI readiness assessment.

The phrase has a second meaning, which is why the search results are muddled. It can also mean an audit of an AI system, where someone examines a piece of software to see whether it is fair, secure, accurate or compliant with a rule. The UK government's introduction to AI assurance describes, among other techniques, a bias audit that "assesses the inputs and outputs of algorithmic systems to determine if there is unfair bias" and a compliance audit that "involves reviewing adherence to internal policies, external regulations and, where relevant, legal requirements". For data protection questions about AI, the ICO has guidance on AI and data protection for organisations. It says that guidance is under review because of the Data (Use and Access) Act, so check its current version before relying on it.

What is the difference between auditing AI and auditing your business?

Auditing AI asks whether a system is behaving properly. Auditing your business asks where a system would be worth using.

If you run an organisation that builds AI models, you want the first kind, and you need an assurance specialist rather than me. I do not offer it. If you run a small business and use tools like ChatGPT or Claude, or are wondering whether to start, the second kind is the one that fits.

There is a small overlap. A business audit should still flag risks, such as which client information must not go into a public chatbot. That is a note in the plan, not a formal compliance audit. You may also see a "30% rule for AI" mentioned online. It is not a real rule; the AI for accountants guide explains why.

What does an AI audit involve for a small business?

It is a short, structured look at how you work, ending in a written plan. Mine takes about a week from start to finish, with about three hours of your time after the free call. It breaks down into four steps.

1. Free call. About 20 minutes, to check an audit is worth doing for you at all.
2. A short questionnaire. About half an hour, covering your week, your tools and your team.
3. A working session. One to two hours, in which I watch how the main jobs are done today.
4. Your plan. Written up and talked through on a call, within the week.

During that time I look at four things.

• Where your time goes: the repeat jobs that fill the week, who does them and how long they take.
• Your tools and data: the apps you pay for, what they can connect to and where the same information is typed in twice.
• Risk and data protection: what is sensitive, where it needs to stay and what the AI should never be allowed to do.
• Quick wins: things you can switch on yourself in tools you already have.

For an accountancy practice, I can connect Xero, QuickBooks, Dext, Sage, FreeAgent, Karbon, Senta, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, so the plan can say what links to what. See AI automation for accountants for how that looks in a practice.

What do you get from an AI audit?

You get a written plan, a short practical document you can act on, hand to a partner, or take to someone else to build.

• A written plan, ranked by hours and pounds saved
• A build price and running cost for each item
• Quick wins you can set up yourself
• Notes on data protection and risks
• A 30-minute call to walk through it

Most owners have a long list of jobs that annoy them and no way to tell which are worth fixing. A rough number of hours and pounds against each one gives you a sorted list instead.

How much does an AI audit cost?

My AI audit is from £495. That is a "from" price: I confirm the exact figure after the free 20-minute call, once I know how much there is to look at. You pay for the plan, and you are not committing to a build. If you do go ahead with a build within 60 days, the audit fee comes off the build price.

For context, the rest of my pricing is also from-prices, as of October 2026. Builds start from £1,500. Support starts from £95 a month. The pricing page shows how the pieces fit together.

Prices elsewhere vary with what is delivered and who does the work. I do not offer enterprise assurance work on AI systems, so I cannot give a price for it. If you are comparing small-business audits, ask each provider what exactly is delivered and who does the work.

The audit is optional. If you already know which job you want automated, you can go straight to a build. The audit suits you when you know admin is eating the week but not where to start, or when you want a price before committing.

What happens after the audit?

You choose. You can use the plan to build things yourself, hire someone else, or ask me. If you ask me, there are two ways to run what I build.

• Built in your own account. I set it up in your own n8n, Make or Zapier account and hand it over, with optional support if you want it.
• Run for you. I host and manage it on a monthly care plan, so you do not have to look after it.

The first gives you the most control. The second means less to think about. Either way, the build price and running cost for each item are in the plan, so you know what you are choosing between before you spend anything.

Is an AI audit worth it for a small business?

It is worth it if you are unsure where to start and a wrong guess would cost more than the fee. It is not worth it if you already know the one job you want fixed, or if your business is too small for the tools to matter yet.

A reasonable test is to count the hours. If you can name a job that takes several hours a week and looks the same every time, you probably do not need an audit to find it. If you suspect there are several such jobs but cannot rank them, an audit helps you put them in order.

The free call is the place to find out. I will tell you honestly whether an audit is worth doing for you, or whether a different step would be better. Book a free 20-minute call to talk it through.