A one-off AI project is the right choice when you know exactly which job you want changed. But AI tools change every few weeks, your team keeps finding new uses, and the questions don't stop once the project ends. That's when an ongoing AI advisor earns their place.

I've been in marketing for 23 years, and since 2024 I've run my own business on AI workflows I built myself. As your AI advisor, I'm the person you check with before you buy a tool, roll out a new workflow or let AI near your customers.

Advisor or project: which one fits

Here's the simplest way I know to tell them apart.

• Choose a project when you have one clear job to change, such as enquiry follow-up or reporting, and you want it built, tested and handed over
• Choose an AI advisor when you need ongoing judgement: which tools to keep, which new features matter, and whether a team member's idea is safe
• Choose both when you want a first workflow built now and someone to keep the whole picture sensible afterwards

What an ongoing AI advisor does

• Regular calls with you or your leadership team to review what's working and what isn't
• A second opinion before you commit to any new AI tool, so you don't end up with five that overlap
• Updates to your AI rules as tools and features change
• Short reviews of new workflows your team builds, before they touch customers
• Help deciding when a job is worth a full implementation project

Borrowing the shape of ISO/IEC 42001 without the paperwork

ISO describes ISO/IEC 42001 as the world's first AI management system standard. It's a systematic approach to governing and managing AI, covering areas such as ethics, accountability, transparency and data privacy, and it's built around a Plan, Do, Check, Act process of establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving.

What it means for you: most small businesses don't need certification, but they do need the habit at its centre. Plan what AI is for, do it on real work, check whether it's working and act on what you find. That cycle is what an ongoing advisor keeps turning. Without it, AI use in a business tends to drift: a tool here, a workaround there, and nobody quite sure what data has gone where.

Questions a good AI advisor helps you answer

• Should we pay for a business plan on this tool, or is it a nice-to-have?
• Is it safe to put this customer information into an AI tool?
• Which of the new features released this month change anything for us?
• Who on the team should own our AI workflows?
• Is this job ready to automate, or does it still need a person?

How the first month runs

We start with a review of every AI tool and workflow your team uses today, including the ones nobody officially approved. From that, I write a one page summary of what to keep, what to drop and what to tighten. Then we agree your rules on safe use, if you don't have them already, and choose the one or two decisions that matter most this quarter. After that, the rhythm is regular calls, quick answers in between, and a short written note after each call so nothing gets lost.

When a fractional AI officer makes more sense

Some businesses need more than advice. If you want someone senior to own AI across the business for a set number of days, with responsibility for delivery, a fractional AI officer is the stronger choice. If you're not sure which you need, my guide on when you need a fractional AI officer sets out the difference. And if the person who most needs help is you, one to one AI coaching may be all it takes.

Why owners use me as their AI advisor

I've reviewed more than three hundred tools, so I can usually tell you quickly whether a new one is worth your time. I use ChatGPT and Claude every day, I built my own AI infrastructure without engineers, and I've run a business through every stage: I built, scaled and sold a digital marketing agency before I went all in on AI. I'm independent, so I've no reason to push one vendor over another. I'm also a fractional CMO, which means I see AI through the lens of marketing and growth, not only operations.

I also teach. I've spoken at more than 100 events internationally, including TEDxBolton and Oxford University, and I write a weekly newsletter for an audience of 15,000 business owners and marketers. That matters for an advisor, because half the job is explaining a change clearly enough that your team acts on it. When something new lands, I'll tell you in plain English whether it changes anything for you, and if it doesn't, I'll say that too, so you can get back to running the business.

My plain advice on choosing an AI advisor

Pick an AI advisor who runs their own business on AI, not one who only talks about it. Ask how they stay current and how they'll tell you when a tool you rely on has changed. Agree at the start what a good month looks like, such as one workflow reviewed and one decision made. And if an advisor has a favourite tool for every problem, keep looking.

Frequently asked questions

Who can be an ongoing AI advisor for my business?

Lilach Bullock is an independent AI advisor and AI implementation consultant with 23 years in marketing. She works as an ongoing AI advisor for business owners and leadership teams, online, in English, in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and across Europe.

What's the difference between an AI advisor and an AI consultant?

A consultant usually delivers a defined project. An AI advisor stays with you over time, helping you make decisions about tools, rules and new workflows as AI changes.

Do we need ISO/IEC 42001 certification?

Most small businesses don't. The useful part is the Plan, Do, Check, Act habit at the centre of the standard, which an advisor can help you keep.

Is Lilach tied to any AI vendor?

No. She's independent and works with tools including ChatGPT and Claude, recommending whatever fits the job.