Practical AI integration patterns for startups
Most startups overcomplicate AI integration. Start with 3 proven patterns: AI-assisted content generation, smart search with embeddings, workflow automation with LLM agents. Use managed APIs instead of custom models.
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You don't need a custom-trained model or a complex RAG pipeline. You need one AI feature that makes your product 10x better.
Users describe what they want, AI generates a first draft. Cost: ~$50/month at MVP scale.
Natural language search that understands intent, not just keywords. Use OpenAI embeddings + Postgres pgvector.
AI handles repetitive tasks: lead scoring, content moderation, data extraction.
| Component | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| OpenAI API (GPT-4o-mini) | $20 - $100 |
| Embeddings | $5 - $20 |
| Vector storage | $0 - $25 |
| Total | $25 - $145 |
That's less than a team lunch. AI is no longer expensive — it's expensive to NOT use it.
