How much does AI software development cost?

Discovery is free. AI development is Custom work, quoted after discovery and agreed before any work starts. You know what you are paying, and what you are paying for, before you pay a cent. The packages and prices are on our services page.

Send the contact form and tell us about the software and the feature you have in mind. We reply within 24 hours and set up a free discovery. We look at your product, its data and where AI would help, then come back with a plan and a price.

Can you add AI to software someone else built?

Usually yes. We review the code and the way it is hosted in discovery, and tell you plainly what can be added, what has to change first and what it would cost. If the existing software is the obstacle, we say so.

What about our customers' data?

We agree before building what data the AI feature can see, where it is processed and how long it is kept. The feature is designed to send only what the task needs.

How will we know the AI feature works?

We agree the measures in discovery, test the feature against real examples from your product and report the results. AI features can be wrong, so we design what happens when they are and make it easy for a user to correct them.

Can you keep it running afterwards?

Yes. Maintenance folds into a monthly retainer. AI tools change often, and a retainer means someone watches the feature, fixes it and improves it as your product evolves.

Services

AI Software Development | 21Labs

2026-11-10

Put AI inside the software you already run

You have a product, a customer portal, an internal system or a platform that your business depends on. You want it to do something it cannot: search in plain language, summarise a long record, read an uploaded document, suggest the next action or answer a customer's question from your own data. That is AI software development, and it means changing software that already exists.

21Labs is an agency in Sydney that serves businesses across Australia. This page covers AI features built into software. It sits within our custom development service and suits software owners, product leads and founders who already have something live, or an internal tool the team relies on.

The problem, in your words

"Our customers keep asking for an AI feature and we do not know where to begin."
"We have years of data in the system and nobody can get at it easily."
"I tried a generic AI tool but it does not know our business."
"Our developers are busy keeping the product running."
"I am worried about adding AI and breaking something."

The last one is fair. Software in use has users, data and history, so AI has to arrive in a way that protects them.

What 21Labs does

Find the feature worth building

We list the places in your software where people read, search, summarise, classify or draft, then pick the one that would matter most to users. A good first AI feature is small enough to ship and clear enough to measure.

Review what you already have

Before designing anything we study your code, data and hosting. The result is a plain-language note on what can be added directly, what needs groundwork first and what risks to manage.

Design the feature to be safe

We decide what the AI sees, what it may do and what happens when it is unsure or wrong. Controls, logging and a way for users to correct the output are designed in from the start.

Build it into your product

We write the feature to fit your existing code and design, using proven AI tools behind a clean interface in your software. Your product keeps its look and structure, and the AI sits where it helps.

Test with real data

We run the feature against genuine examples from your product, share what works and what does not, and fix it before users see it.

Keep it healthy

AI tools change quickly. On a retainer we monitor the feature, update it when the underlying tools shift and improve it as you learn what users want.

How the engagement runs

Every 21Labs engagement runs the same cycle. Read how we work.

1. Discovery

Free. We look at your software and your goal, pick the first feature and come back with a plan and a price.

2. Agreed price

You agree the price before building starts. Instalments are available and the total stays fixed.

3. Delivery

We build, test and release the feature, and hand your team documentation they can use.

4. Measured results

We measure the numbers agreed in discovery, such as how often users accept the AI's suggestion, and report back.

5. Renewal

Stop at delivery or stay on a monthly retainer for maintenance and the next feature. When you want more, we scope it as the next step.

Who owns what we build

By default, you own what we build for you.

Start with a conversation

Discovery costs nothing, so the easiest way to find the right size is to talk. Get in touch and we will work it out together. The packages and prices are set out on the services page.

Who it is not for

A business without software yet. If you are starting from an idea, begin with a product idea conversation.
Teams that want a person-approved assistant for daily work. That is AI agents.
Anyone wanting AI that replaces judgement entirely. We design for review where it matters.
A business that has not decided where AI belongs. Start with AI strategy.

If you can name the software and the job you want AI to do inside it, you are ready for discovery. Use the contact form to tell us.

good questions, straight answers

Frequently asked questions

How much does AI software development cost?: Discovery is free. AI development is Custom work, quoted after discovery and agreed before any work starts. You know what you are paying, and what you are paying for, before you pay a cent. The packages and prices are on our services page.
How does it start?: Send the contact form and tell us about the software and the feature you have in mind. We reply within 24 hours and set up a free discovery. We look at your product, its data and where AI would help, then come back with a plan and a price.
Can you add AI to software someone else built?: Usually yes. We review the code and the way it is hosted in discovery, and tell you plainly what can be added, what has to change first and what it would cost. If the existing software is the obstacle, we say so.
Who owns what you build?: By default, you own what we build for you.
What about our customers' data?: We agree before building what data the AI feature can see, where it is processed and how long it is kept. The feature is designed to send only what the task needs.
How will we know the AI feature works?: We agree the measures in discovery, test the feature against real examples from your product and report the results. AI features can be wrong, so we design what happens when they are and make it easy for a user to correct them.
Can you keep it running afterwards?: Yes. Maintenance folds into a monthly retainer. AI tools change often, and a retainer means someone watches the feature, fixes it and improves it as your product evolves.

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