Service · AI Consultant UK
An AI consultant who actually builds things.
I'm Steve Hooper, an independent AI consultant based in the West Midlands, working with businesses across the UK. I help you figure out where AI fits, then I build it with you. No vendor lock-in. No 80-page strategy deck that gathers dust.
The problem
Most AI consultancies sell strategy decks, not working systems.
The AI consulting market in the UK is full of firms that will sell you a roadmap, then hand it over and leave. The deck looks good. The recommendations are reasonable. But nothing actually gets built.
Meanwhile, the vendors are pitching tools that solve their problem, not yours. Every demo looks impressive. Most of them don't survive contact with your actual workflows, your actual data, your actual team.
What's usually missing is someone who understands the technology well enough to build it, and understands the business well enough to know what's worth building.
What I do
Four services. One consultant. No handoffs.
I work with UK businesses across four areas. Most clients start with one and expand from there.
- AI readiness audits: a two-week review of your operations, data, and tools, ending in a prioritised, costed roadmap
- Automation builds: scoped sprints where I build, test, and hand over working AI systems that run in your stack
- Fractional AI leadership: 1 to 2 days a week embedded in your team, bridging strategy and execution
- Team training: practical workshops built around your actual workflows, not generic AI lectures
What you get
Practical outcomes, not PowerPoint.
- Working automation, not a proof of concept that never ships
- Vendor-agnostic advice. I don't resell software, so the recommendation is always honest
- Fixed-fee engagements with clear scope, so you know what you're paying before you commit
- Direct access to the person doing the work, not account managers or juniors
- Documentation and handover so your team can maintain what's built
FAQ
Common questions from first conversations.
What does an AI consultant actually do?
I help businesses figure out where AI fits their operations, then I build it. That can mean running an audit to find the highest-value opportunities, building automations that run in production, training teams to use AI tools properly, or sitting in the room as a fractional AI leader when decisions get made. The common thread is practical work, not slide decks.
How is this different from a big consultancy?
Two things. First, I do the work myself. You're not buying a partner's time and getting a graduate's output. Second, I'm vendor-agnostic. I don't resell software, so the recommendation is always the one that fits your business, not the one that earns me a commission.
Do you work outside the West Midlands?
Yes. I'm based in the West Midlands but work UK-wide. Most engagements are a mix of on-site days and remote work. For audits and fractional leadership I'll typically be on-site one or two days a week. Training and automation builds can often run largely remote.
What industries do you work with?
Professional services, manufacturing, property, financial services, and membership organisations make up most of my client base. The specifics vary but the pattern is the same: businesses with 10 to 200 staff who know AI matters but aren't sure where to start or what to trust.
How do I know if I need an AI consultant?
If your team is experimenting with AI tools in isolation, or you've been pitched by three vendors and aren't sure which to trust, or you know there's an opportunity but can't quantify it, that's usually the point where an outside perspective pays for itself. A strategy call will tell us both whether it's the right time.