What is really under the hood?
AI Due Diligence
For investors assessing an AI proposition, and for organizations who want to know whether the AI they are buying is actually AI. Technically grounded, in language an investment committee understands.
experience, impact ↓
20+ years experience
AI in Europe
European brands already running AI in production.
Not my clients. Examples of what happens once AI moves past the pilot stage.
- Klarna
Sweden
AI customer service assistant
- Zalando
Germany
Fashion assistant for product advice
- Financial services
Investment firm
AI strategy and use-case portfolio
- Booking.com
Netherlands
AI Trip Planner for travel planning
- Siemens
Germany
Industrial Copilot for engineering
- Retail
Enterprise retailer
AI-driven vendor selection
- Spotify
Sweden
AI DJ and personalized playlists
- Mercedes-Benz
Germany
Generative voice assistant in the car
- Industrial / B2B
International manufacturer
AI roadmap and leadership
- ING
Netherlands
Generative chatbot for customer queries
- L'Oréal
France
Beauty Genius: personalized advice
- Financial services
Financial services firm
KYC accelerated with AI document analysis
- SAP
Germany
Joule: copilot in business software
- Carrefour
France
Hopla: grocery shopping assistant
- Strategy & AI
SaaS scale-up
AI readiness assessment
- Adyen
Netherlands
AI-driven payment optimization
- Philips
Netherlands
AI in medical imaging
- Proces & productivity
Professional services firm
Internal AI assistant for knowledge workers
One solution at the lower end, an entire company at the upper end. Always under NDA. Amounts exclude VAT and travel expenses.
What does an AI Due Diligence cover and what does it cost?
AI Due Diligence from Dave Willemstein is a technically grounded assessment of an AI proposition or vendor, for investors and for organizations buying AI. The result is a DD report with an explicit verdict and a red-flag overview, built on four parallel research tracks. The engagement takes 2-4 weeks and costs €12,600 - €19,600, always under NDA and excluding VAT and travel expenses.
Does an AI Due Diligence always happen under NDA?
AI Due Diligence always happens under NDA, both toward the client and toward the target.
What determines the price of an AI Due Diligence?
€12,600 - €19,600 for AI Due Diligence depends on scope: one solution at the lower end, an entire company at the upper end.
Source: Dave Willemstein's rates and typical timelines. Updated: .
Why this comes up
What we typically find
- An "AI platform" that is at its core a rule set with a language-model layer on top: sometimes fine, but not worth the valuation.
- Models trained on data whose provenance cannot be demonstrated.
- Dependency on a single model vendor with no migration path and no hedge against price risk.
- An evaluation setup that cannot reproduce its own results.
How it works
Four tracks, run in parallel.
Proposition & value
What does it solve, for whom, and how differentiated is that really compared to what a generic model can already do?
Technology & data
Architecture, model choices, data rights, evaluation methodology, reproducibility, and the scalability of cost per transaction.
Risk & compliance
Risk classification, privacy, IP on training data, liability, and whether the marketing claims hold up.
Team & execution
Can this team build and maintain this? Key-person dependency, engineering practice and technical debt.
What you get
Concrete. Clear.
Immediately usable.
- DD report with findings per track and an explicit verdict
- Red-flag overview, separated into deal-breakers and negotiation points
- Assessment of the AI claims against what is demonstrably working
- Cost model: what this costs per transaction at ten times current volume
- Question list for follow-up conversations with the target or vendor
- Verbal briefing to the investment committee or executive team
Best fit for
Organizations that:
- Investors and corporate-development teams on AI acquisitions
- Organizations bringing in a strategic AI vendor
- Boards who want to know if an internally built platform will hold up
Less suitable if
- If you need a formal audit with an accountant's statement
The rhythm underneath
From insight
to impact.
Every engagement runs through the same four decision points. Only the depth per step differs.
More on my approach →Diagnose
What are we actually trying to solve?
Prioritize
Which use cases earn money, time and attention?
Decide
Build, buy or partner, and why?
Ship & govern
How do we make sure it actually lands?
Typical result
Not every red flag is a deal-breaker.
The goal is not to block a deal, but to know what you are buying. In most engagements the outcome shifts toward different guarantees, an adjusted earn-out or a technical integration plan, not toward "no".
Frequently asked questions
Answers to what you are thinking now.
Do you work under NDA?
Always. Both toward the client and toward the target. I sign the counterparty's NDA before any substantive information is shared.
How fast can you start?
For deal processes, usually within a week. With a tight exclusivity period, I can narrow the scope to the two tracks that matter most.
Do you also do the technical code review?
I assess architecture, data flows, evaluation setup and engineering practice. For a full code audit I work with a specialist I propose, with no margin on their rate.
More questions about working together, rates or procurement? See all frequently asked questions →
Ready for impact?
Book a call.
30 minutes. No pitch deck. Just a good conversation about your situation.