Ten pointed questions to put to any AI agency in Dubai before you commit, with a note on what a strong answer sounds like and what should make you walk away.
Why the right questions matter more than the pitch
Any agency can present well. What protects you is how they answer specific, pointed questions about scope, data, security and what happens after launch. Bring this list to your meetings and listen carefully. Confident, concrete answers are a good sign. Vague or evasive ones are a warning, no matter how polished the pitch.
You do not need to be technical to use these. The quality of the answer, and how clearly it is explained, tells you most of what you need to know.
Questions about the problem and the result
Start by testing whether they focus on your outcome or their technology.
- What business outcome will this deliver, and how will we measure it?
- Can we start with a small pilot before a larger commitment?
- Can you show me a similar system you have running in production?
- What have you built that did not work, and what did you learn?
Questions about data and security
These answers reveal whether an agency takes your responsibilities as seriously as you do.
- Where will our data be stored, and who can access it?
- Is our data ever used to train shared or third party models?
- How do you handle human approval for sensitive actions?
- How do you comply with the UAE Personal Data Protection Law?
Questions about cost and ownership
Protect yourself from hidden costs and lock in before you sign.
- What are the one time and the ongoing monthly costs at our volume?
- Who owns the data, the models and the accounts?
What strong answers sound like
A strong agency ties every answer back to your business, not their tools. They will happily start small, show you real production work, and speak clearly about data residency, security and human oversight. They separate one time from ongoing costs, and confirm that you own everything with a clean handover possible.
If answers are vague on data and security, if every recommendation is their most expensive option, or if they resist a small pilot, treat those as reasons to keep looking. The questions are simple. The quality of the answers is what separates a safe choice from a costly one.
Ready to take the next step? Talk to 67 Digital about how to choose an AI agency in Dubai.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important question to ask an AI agency?
Ask what business outcome the project will deliver and how it will be measured. An agency that leads with your outcome, rather than its technology, is far more likely to deliver value. If they cannot define a measurable result, the project has no clear way to succeed.
How can I tell if an AI agency takes security seriously?
Ask where your data is stored, who can access it, whether it is ever used to train shared models, and how they comply with the UAE Personal Data Protection Law. Clear, specific answers signal a serious partner. Vague responses on these points are a real warning sign.
Should I be worried if an agency will not start with a pilot?
Yes. A good agency welcomes a small pilot because it reduces your risk and proves value before a larger commitment. Resistance to starting small often means either overconfidence or a wish to lock you into a big contract before you have seen results.
Who should own the AI system once it is built?
You should own the data, the models and the accounts, with a clean handover possible at any time. Confirm this before signing. If an agency is hesitant about ownership or handover, that is a serious reason to be cautious regardless of how good the pitch sounds.
