AI Readiness and Governance Consulting

Built For Leaders Who Own The AI Decision

AI Clarity is built for COOs, CFOs, CEOs, and IT leaders at mid-market companies in manufacturing, professional services, software and technology, healthcare, and financial services. Our Business Technology Solutions team works from Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, and Indianapolis and serves clients across the U.S.

Why Work With A CPA Firm On AI?

Most AI consultancies start with the technology. Most audit firms start with the controls. GBQ's Business Technology Solutions team starts with your business, then weighs every AI recommendation against cost, controls, and risk, the way your auditor, insurer, and board will.

An auditor's judgment. GBQ has been measuring and protecting value for clients since 1953. Our AI work maps to frameworks your auditors already recognize, including the NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF) and NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0.
Microsoft 365 depth. Copilot readiness, permissions cleanup, and data exposure reviews for organizations running on Microsoft 365.
Independent advice. We aren't tied to an AI platform, so our recommendation can be "not yet."
A path to execution. When you're ready to build, Talentcrowd, GBQ's consulting platform, brings more than 350 consultants to the work.

Which AI Question Is On Your Desk Right Now?

Most leaders come to us in the middle of a question, not at the end of one. Start with the one that's keeping you up at night.

Strategy & Readiness

- "Are we actually ready to use AI, and where do we start?" AI Foundation Readiness Assessment. A scored, honest baseline across strategy, data, technology, operating model, and people, plus a clear view of what to build before you scale. You get: a scored readiness report and a prioritized gap list.
- "What should we do with AI first?" AI Roadmap Workshop. A facilitated session that gets your leadership team to a prioritized, sequenced AI roadmap, with the hard calls made in the room. You get: a sequenced roadmap with owners and success measures.

Risk, Security & Governance

- "Can we prove our AI use is secure and well-governed?" AI Risk & Security Assessment. A defensible answer for management, auditors, and the board, mapped across 77 controls in 16 domains. You get: a risk register and remediation priorities.
- "We use AI tools but don't build them. Are we exposed?" AI Security Baseline Assessment. A fixed-fee security review for organizations that adopt AI rather than build it, including Copilot data exposure. You get: a ranked list of what to fix first.
- "Is this specific AI tool safe to adopt?" AI Tool Risk Assessment. A per-tool review of the vendor, the configuration, and the governance around it. You get: a clear adopt, adopt-with-conditions, or hold decision.

Capability & Execution

- "Can our technology and data support the AI we want?" AI Technology & Data Assessment. Surfaces the platform, integration, and data blockers that derail AI projects before the project starts. You get: a blocker list with fixes and estimated effort.
- "Does our team have the skills, and does leadership know enough to lead it?" AI Workforce Capability Assessment. Measures AI capability across roles and gives leaders what they need to sponsor adoption with confidence. You get: a role-by-role capability map and a training plan.
- "Can we prove AI works on something real?" AI Pilot & Value Realization Sprint. A 90-day sprint that moves one or two use cases (think invoice processing, quoting or customer service) from concept to a governed, working pilot. You get: a working pilot and a scale-or-stop decision backed by results.

Frequently Asked Questions About AI Clarity

What is an AI readiness assessment?

An AI readiness assessment measures whether your strategy, data, technology, operating model, and people can support AI before you invest in it. GBQ's AI Foundation Readiness Assessment gives you a scored baseline across those five areas and a prioritized list of what to build first, so spending goes where it will actually pay off.

How long does an AI Clarity assessment take?

Most AI Clarity assessments are fixed-fee and scoped to weeks, not months. The AI Pilot & Value Realization Sprint runs 90 days and ends with a scale-or-stop decision. In a 30-minute scoping call, GBQ's team can tell you which assessment fits and how long it should take for your organization.

Do we need Microsoft Copilot before we start?

No. Many clients start before rolling out Copilot, which is often the best time. A readiness or security baseline review can flag permissions and data exposure issues so Copilot doesn't surface sensitive files to the wrong people. If you already own Copilot licenses, we can help you get value from what you're paying for.

What is AI governance, and why do auditors care?

AI governance is the set of policies, roles, and controls that decide how your organization approves, uses, and monitors AI. Auditors, insurers, and customers increasingly ask about it because AI can expose data and affect financial reporting. GBQ maps its work to the NIST AI Risk Management Framework so the answer holds up to outside review.

How is a CPA firm different from an AI consultancy?

A CPA firm brings an auditor's view of risk, controls, and cost to every AI recommendation. GBQ's Business Technology Solutions team pairs that judgment with Microsoft 365 and AI expertise, so you get a plan that works technically and holds up financially. And because GBQ isn't selling an AI platform, the advice stays independent.

Who is AI Clarity built for?

AI Clarity is built for COOs, CFOs, CEOs, and IT leaders at companies with roughly $25 million to $500 million in revenue, especially in manufacturing, professional services, technology, healthcare, and financial services. GBQ serves clients across the Midwest from offices in Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, and Indianapolis, and works with organizations nationwide.

AI Clarity: AI Readiness & Governance For Midwest Companies

From AI Uncertainty To A Plan You Can Defend