Handbook / Programs / AI Readiness Program
For organisations past the pilot stage. The deepest commitment Cohorte offers.
Two-day on-site assessment. 3 to 6 months of training, advisory, and live workshops. Monthly 2-hour advisory with Charafeddine. Written AI Operating Model playbook delivered at close. For VP-of-AI, CTO, Chief Data Officer at enterprises 300+ employees with real budget and executive sponsorship.
Who this is for
Buyer has shipped at least one AI system and needs to make AI a core capability of the firm. VP of AI, CTO, Chief Data Officer, CIO, Chief Risk Officer at enterprises with 300+ employees, executive-level sponsor.
The operating model
A documented AI operating model the organisation can defend to its board, its regulators, and its own teams. Not a strategy deck. A playbook the next CIO inherits.
The trained operators
8 to 15 operators across business, risk, compliance, and engineering who can run the operating model after the engagement ends. Common vocabulary, shared discipline, shipped artifacts.
The playbook
40 to 80 pages. AI governance policy, model risk extension, use-case inventory, approval workflow, incident runbook. Yours indefinitely.
The six phases
3 to 6 months. From assessment to playbook delivery.
| Phase | Duration | What we do & deliver |
|---|---|---|
| 0 · Assessment | Weeks 1-2 | 2-day on-site assessment. Interviews with 8-15 stakeholders. AI portfolio review. Regulatory mapping. Output: assessment memo (12-16 pages). |
| 1 · Foundation | Weeks 3-8 | Team training kickoff. LUMEN methodology workshop. Verification curriculum. Governance framework. |
| 2 · Build | Weeks 9-18 | Applied work on 2-3 real use cases. Verification design. Governance log. Output: use-case operating briefs. |
| 3 · Playbook | Weeks 19-22 | Playbook writing. Sponsor review. Operating-model documentation. Output: AI Operating Model Playbook (40-80 pages). |
| 4 · Handover | Weeks 23-24 | Capstone demo. Sponsor sign-off. Continuing support agreement (optional retainer). |
Why 3 months minimum. Shorter engagements do not produce culture shift. The operating model has to land across business, risk, compliance, and engineering, that coordination is the work. Less than three months produces a draft. Three months produces an artifact the management committee will commit to.
Pricing
From €35,000. Scoped per engagement. Pricing is fixed up-front and locked once the scope is agreed; we do not change-order during delivery.
| Published rate | Starts at €35,000. Two-day on-site assessment, 3 to 6 months of training and advisory, monthly 2-hour founder advisory, written AI Operating Model playbook at close. 8 to 15 operators trained. |
| What drives the scope | Number of operators (8 to 15). Number of use-case tracks (1 to 3). Duration (3 to 6 months). Whether a second senior advisor on model-risk topics is bundled. Whether sponsors want extended on-site time. |
| How we quote | 30-minute discovery call sorts the shape. We send a fixed-fee proposal within 5 business days. No change orders during delivery. |
Pilot credit. If you ran a Cohorte Pilot in the prior 90 days, 100% of the Pilot fee credits against the AI Readiness Program. €8K-€12K off the top.
Sample work products
The AI Operating Model Playbook is the central deliverable. 40-80 pages, customised to your organisation. Sections below are standard; vertical-specific extensions added based on the assessment.
- AI Use Policy (organisation-wide)
- AI Governance framework (roles, decision rights, escalation)
- Use-case inventory and triage process
- Verification design standards
- Approval workflow for new AI use cases
- Incident response runbook
- Vendor risk management for AI tools
- Operating-model handover protocol
- FS: SR 11-7 / SS1/23 mapping, model-risk extension, DORA ICT third-party register
- PS: partner sign-off framework, engagement-letter language, confidentiality protocol
- HE: Academic Integrity extension, faculty development pathway, accreditation alignment
- Hospitality: brand-voice gate template, multi-property governance, PCI DSS-aware design rules
Post-engagement
| Optional advisory retainer | €2K-€5K per month. Monthly 2-hour call with Charafeddine. Quarterly written check-in. 6 or 12-month commitment. About 70% of AI Readiness clients sign a retainer. |
| Engine Room community | 12 months Engine Room community access per operator trained. |
| Case study (optional) | If both parties agree, a case study is produced 6 months after engagement close. Sponsor holds final editorial control. |
| Future engagements | Many AI Readiness clients later add a Team Bootcamp for a specific practice, or a Curriculum License for the broader organisation. |
FAQ
"Why starts at €35,000 and not €200K like McKinsey?"
Different category. McKinsey gives you strategy and a roadmap. Cohorte gives you a trained operating layer and a playbook. Several clients run both.
"What if we need to extend the engagement?"
Extensions beyond the 6-month maximum are usually structured as an advisory retainer, not as an extended SOW.
"Can we run this alongside an internal AI team?"
Yes, that's the most common setup. Internal team handles infrastructure and tooling; Cohorte installs the operating layer.
"Does Charafeddine actually deliver this himself?"
Yes. Scoping, assessment, monthly advisory, playbook delivery are all founder-led. Day-to-day training is the facilitator's job; everything strategic is the founder's.
"What's the typical engagement profile?"
FS: €42-65K, model risk + governance, 4-5 months. PS: €35-52K, partnership-defensible operating model, 4 months. HE: €35-52K, faculty governance + accreditation, 4 months.
"What's not included?"
Production implementation of the AI systems (your engineering team owns build). Tool license costs. Travel beyond the two on-site sessions (negotiable per request).
The deepest commitment Cohorte offers.
Three to six months. Founder leads scoping, assessment, monthly advisory, playbook. The artifact your CIO inherits. Executive-level sponsor required. 30 to 60 days from first call to kickoff.