Efficiency & ROI Simulator: Vertical AI vs Horizontal Generative AI

Adjust the variables to visualize the profitability crossover (Break-even point).

About this tool

What is it?
An interactive simulator that models the 12-month Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) between building a domain-specific (Vertical) AI versus relying on a general-purpose (Horizontal) Generative AI model via public APIs.

What is it for?
It visualizes the "break-even point." While Vertical AI requires a higher upfront setup cost (fine-tuning, database structuring), it operates at a significantly lower inference cost. Conversely, Horizontal AI has low setup costs but triggers exponential variable costs at scale—especially when task complexity demands high accuracy, leading to expensive human rework (hallucination penalty).

10,000
85%

Total Costs over 12 Months

Vertical AI: $0
Horizontal AI: $0