Buy for commodity needs, build for differentiated workflows. The deciding factor is how closely the workflow matches your competitive advantage.
Buy when the workflow is standard
Email triage, basic support, generic document extraction: evaluate vendors first. If someone has already solved this problem at scale, buying is faster and cheaper than building.
Build when integration and control matter
If you need custom logic, deep system integrations, strict governance, or unique data, build an internal agent layer.
The real question isn't "build or buy." It's "where does this workflow sit on the spectrum from commodity to competitive advantage?" Commodity workflows → buy. Competitive workflows → build. Everything in between → buy first, then build the custom layer on top.
Related reading:
Frequently asked questions
Can we start with buy and later build?
Yes. Start with buy to learn, then build the differentiating layer once the workflow is proven.
What is the biggest hidden cost?
Change management and data cleanup. Tool cost is rarely the largest line item.