Three Places AI Can Run
- A public AI service: you send data to a provider's service and receive an answer. Quick to start, but your data passes through the provider
- Your own cloud account: the system runs on servers you rent in your own name, and calls AI models you choose, with your own keys
- On your own premises: the system, and sometimes the model itself, runs on hardware in your building
Each is a trade-off between convenience, cost and control. Many businesses mix the two. Sensitive steps run on infrastructure they control, and everyday steps use a public model through their own account.
What “Your Own Account” Changes
When the account is in your name, you decide who has access, you receive the bills directly, and you can see what is running. If you change suppliers, the system stays where it is. The data your workflows handle stays in storage you control. It doesn't sit inside a supplier's platform next to other customers' data.
Choosing an AI Model
Models differ in quality, speed, language ability and price, and they change quickly. Some are only offered as an online service. Others can run on your own hardware. If you can switch models without rebuilding, you're protected when a provider raises prices, changes quality or retires a model.
- Hosted models: strongest general quality, charged per use, data sent to the provider under their terms
- Open models on your cloud: more control over data, you pay for the servers
- Local models on your premises: data never leaves the building, needs suitable hardware
Reading a Provider's Data Terms
Before sending business data to any AI provider, read how they treat it. Look for whether they store inputs, for how long, whether they use them to train models, where the data is processed, and how to have it deleted. Business and API terms are often stricter than the consumer app's. Check which ones apply to you.
Data Protection in Kenya
The Data Protection Act applies to personal data wherever it is processed. Sending personal data outside Kenya comes with conditions, and some kinds of sensitive data need extra care. Write down which personal data each workflow handles and where it goes. That record is what you'll use to answer customers and the Data Commissioner.
Costs to Expect
Running AI on your own account means two kinds of cost: the infrastructure (servers, storage) and model usage (per request, or hardware if local). Set usage limits and alerts from day one, and review the bill monthly. Costs are usually modest for small workflows, but unlimited usage can surprise anyone.
Decisions to Make Early
- Which workflows handle personal or confidential data, and which do not
- Whether any data must stay in Kenya, or on your premises
- Which AI provider terms are acceptable to you
- Who in the business holds administrator access to the account
- The monthly budget ceiling for running costs
When on-premise Makes Sense
Running AI on your own hardware suits businesses with strict confidentiality rules, shaky internet, or so much steady work that renting servers gets expensive. It needs space, power backup, and someone responsible for the hardware. For most small workflows, a cloud account in your name gives enough control with less upkeep.
Backups and Recovery
Wherever the system runs, back up its settings and data somewhere else, and test that you can restore them. Ask how long recovery would take and practise it at least once.