AI Development

AI App Development

A glowing orb of connected particles with a voice wave passing through it

AI features and assistants that work in real products

We build AI features around a defined task: answering questions from your content, finding information, drafting documents or assisting with appointments. We built an AI patient assistant for dental practices: a website chatbot with voice input running on OpenAI under a signed business associate agreement, plus a phone assistant on Twilio. We are now building an SMS assistant for hair salons that books, reschedules and takes payments. Our healthcare platform case study shows an AI chatbot with scheduling and human handoff. Start with one useful workflow, agree how success will be measured, and expand after testing it with your team.

Want a price first?

Describe your idea in our app cost calculator and get a build plan, price range and timeline in about two minutes.

Selected Cliffex clients across industries

What we build with AI

Start with one task that costs you time today. We build it well, measure it, then add the next.

  • Website and in-app chatbots that answer from your content

  • Phone and SMS assistants that book and reschedule

  • Document reading: forms, invoices and IDs to structured data

  • AI search across your products, help articles or records

  • Assistants connected to your booking, CRM or store

  • Summaries and drafts for your team, reviewed before sending

  • Admin views to review conversations and fix answers

  • Usage limits, logging and cost reporting

Testing, data controls and a clear human handoff

AI outputs can be wrong even when they use your own content. We plan evaluation cases, access controls, action permissions and human review around the task. Logging should capture what is needed for quality checks without retaining unnecessary personal data, with access and retention rules agreed before launch. Usage monitoring and application limits help control costs; provider billing and enforcement still need review. Regulated-data projects require an assessment of the exact services and agreements before data is shared.

This is for you if

What AI development costs

Apps start from $4,000 (see our pricing), and one focused AI feature usually fits that first-version range. Assistants that take actions or run across channels cost more. All ranges are in USD.

ScopePlanning budgetPlanning timeline
One AI feature on your site or app: a chatbot or search that answers from your content$4,000–$10,0003–6 weeks
AI assistant that takes actions: booking, rescheduling or payments, by SMS or phone$10,000–$20,0006–10 weeks
AI-powered product or multi-location assistant$20,000+, scoped individually10–16+ weeks

Adding AI to an existing system starts with a short technical review. Hosting, model usage, voice or SMS charges and ongoing maintenance are separate. Our published app pricing includes 30 days of post-launch support.

How an AI project runs

We define the task, data sources, permissions and success criteria first. A prototype tests the approach before deeper integration. Your team reviews realistic examples, including incorrect answers and failed actions, before launch. The project plan sets out build costs, usage assumptions, monitoring and responsibilities for improving the feature after release.

We build with AI as well as for it. Our engineers work alongside frontier coding agents every day, which speeds up the routine parts of a build and leaves more of your budget for design, testing and the edge cases that decide whether an AI feature can be trusted. Every change is still reviewed by an engineer before it ships.

A glowing orb of connected particles with a voice wave passing through it

AI development questions

How much does it cost to add AI to an app?

Our apps start from $4,000. One focused AI feature, such as a chatbot that answers from your own content, usually fits a first-version budget of $4,000 to $10,000. Assistants that book, take payments or work across phone, SMS and web usually cost $10,000 to $20,000 or more. Model usage is billed by the AI provider. Try the app cost calculator for a range based on your idea.

Which AI models do you use?

We select models based on the task, evaluation results, latency, cost and data-handling requirements. We have shipped production features on OpenAI, including under a business associate agreement for healthcare. The proposal names the chosen provider and explains the relevant limits and alternatives.

Can you add AI to the app or website we already have?

Yes. Most AI features sit beside your existing system: a chat widget on your site, an assistant connected to your booking or CRM, or a background job that reads documents. We review your current setup first and tell you what fits.

How do you keep AI answers accurate and safe?

We use task-specific evaluations, approved information sources, access controls and a clear path to a person. Actions such as payments or changes to customer records need explicit permissions and appropriate confirmation. These measures reduce risk but do not guarantee every answer is correct; ongoing review is part of operating the feature.

What does it cost to run an AI feature each month?

Costs depend on request volume, model choice, input and output size, hosting, and any voice or messaging services. We estimate against agreed usage assumptions and plan monitoring and limits. One assistant we built was priced to its client per patient chat, based on tokens used. Provider prices and traffic can change, so treat the estimate as a budget model rather than a guaranteed monthly bill.

I built an app with an AI app builder. Can you make it work for real?

Yes. That is a separate service: see AI-built app development.

How long does it take?

A focused AI feature usually takes 3 to 6 weeks. Assistants that take actions take 6 to 10 weeks, and AI-powered products 10 to 16 weeks or more. Data preparation, integration access and testing can extend the timeline.

Who owns the code, prompts and data?

Our published pricing includes transfer of project source code and IP to you under the contract. The agreement should also cover prompts, configuration and account handover. Third-party models and libraries retain their own licence terms, and customer data must be handled under applicable rights and privacy obligations.

Have a task AI could take off your plate? Tell us about it.