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Timeline & Delivery
How long AI agent and RAG engagements typically take, what milestones look like, and when first production traffic is realistic.
How long until first production traffic for a new AI agent?
For a focused first agent on a well-scoped workflow with available eval data, first production traffic is typically week 12-14. The first measurable business result (tickets resolved, hours saved, listings shipped) shows up within four weeks of cutover once the workflow stabilizes.
What does the engagement timeline look like phase by phase?
Five phases: Discovery + workflow specification (week 0-2); Eval set construction (week 2-3); Architecture + tool integration (week 3-7); Hardening + supervised pilot (week 7-11); Production launch + operate-with-you (week 11-14 + ongoing 6-month QA window).
Can the timeline be compressed?
For certain scope profiles yes — a focused workflow with clean eval data and a single integration can ship in 6-8 weeks. For multi-integration regulated workflows, 14-18 weeks is the realistic minimum. Compressing past 6 weeks usually means cutting eval discipline, which is the wrong trade.
When does the eval set get built?
Week 1, before any production code merges. This is the Eval Week 1 commitment — at least 200 reference cases with expected outputs and a CI-gated scoring rubric. See /blog/ai-agent-eval-framework-week-1/ for why this discipline matters.
What happens after handover?
A 6-month QA window with quarterly Token Audits is included in every project rate. Beyond month 6, we offer an operate-with-you retainer (monthly cost + scope) for buyers who want us to keep tuning, or a full handover where the in-house team owns ops and we are available for paid escalations only.