An on-premise AI appliance: $8,000–$15,000 CAD. One time.
A cloud AI subscription at $50–$100 per user per month, for 40 users: $24,000–$48,000. Every year.
A junior IT hire to manage cloud AI tools: $55,000+. Every year.
A consultant to build a custom solution: $80,000–$200,000. Once, if you're lucky.
The appliance pays for itself in months. It keeps working without a recurring bill. It doesn't change its pricing because a board decided to monetize harder.
Ownership isn't always better than renting. But when the rental includes your data, your dependency, and your budget — it's worth doing the math.