"I've worked with many vendors, but a-assi was the best" — irodas CTO shares his conclusion on choosing an AI development partner

As the integration of AI into core business operations accelerates, choosing a development partner has become a decision with the weight of a strategic management choice for CTOs. Organizing requirements, selecting appropriate technologies, and delivering with speed while ensuring quality—while these sound standard, few partners fulfill all these criteria. Takashi Nemoto, CTO of irodas, which operates a new graduate recruitment business, is one such client who has dealt with multiple outsourced development firms. He currently collaborates with a-assi, a company specializing in SaaS and custom development for the AI and HR domains. irodas has commissioned multiple projects to them. "A project estimated at 15 million yen and 3-6 months by other companies was delivered in about one month after requirement refinement," says Nemoto. This speed is supported by the requirement definition skills of PMs with engineering backgrounds, a design philosophy based on AI utilization, and domain knowledge cultivated in the HR sector. This article explores the key points for choosing an AI development partner from the perspective of a client who has worked with many, and why irodas continues to commission work to a-assi. (Omitted) Nemoto recommends a-assi to companies in the 100-300 employee range where the development organization is not yet fully established, noting that their PM capabilities and development speed are powerful assets for mid-sized firms with limited internal engineering resources.