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AIaaS Platform Selection: 2025 Composable AI Playbook

Sander de Hoogh
by Sander de Hoogh
Jul 23, 2025 6:36:02 AM
In 2025, the AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) market has reached a new level of maturity and complexity. For mid- to senior-level business and technology leaders, the challenge is not just about accessing powerful AI capabilities, but about making the right platform choices, ensuring seamless integration, and driving sustainable value. This playbook distils leading industry research and Gysho’s proven methodology into a step-by-step guide for selecting, integrating, and maximising value from AIaaS platforms—empowering leaders to make confident, future-proof decisions.
 
 

01 | Composable AI: Shaping the 2025 AIaaS Landscape

THE EVOLVING AIaaS LANDSCAPE

OPPORTUNITY & COMPLEXITY:
AIaaS has rapidly transitioned from a niche offering to a core pillar of enterprise technology strategy. According to Gartner, over 80% of enterprises will have deployed some form of generative AI via APIs or applications by 2026. The appeal is clear: cloud-based AI platforms eliminate the need for costly, specialised infrastructure and enable rapid experimentation with cutting-edge models.
 
However, as the market expands, so do the challenges. Vendor differentiation is increasingly nuanced, integration with legacy systems remains a significant hurdle, and risks such as vendor lock-in and compliance have become more pronounced. ~ Encord & TechTarget 
For many organisations, the question is no longer ‘if’ but ‘how’ to select and operationalise the right AIaaS solution.

 

COMPOSABLE AI

THE NEW STANDARD FOR FLEXIBILITY & VALUE: 
A defining trend in 2025 is the rise of composable AI—modular, interoperable AI services and components that can be flexibly assembled, integrated, and reconfigured to meet evolving business needs. Composable AI enables organisations to avoid rigid, monolithic solutions and instead build tailored AI ecosystems that maximise agility, scalability, and future-proofing. This approach is at the heart of Gysho’s advisory and delivery model, ensuring that clients can select best-of-breed AIaaS components and integrate them seamlessly across multi-cloud, hybrid, or legacy environments.
KEY TRENDS SHAPING THE 2025 AIaaS MARKET:
 
Multi-cloud & Hybrid deployment models | No-code/low-code AI tools for rapid prototyping | Pay-as-you-go & subscription-based pricing | Vertical & domain-specific AIaaS solutions | Composable AI architectures for modular, scalable adoption


02 | Essential AIaaS Platform Selection Criteria: What Matters Most?

Selecting the right AIaaS platform requires a rigorous, criteria-driven approach. Based on industry research and Gysho’s advisory practice, the following factors are paramount:

SCALABILITY & PERFORMANCE

Can the platform support your current and future AI workloads, including data preparation, model training, and inferencing? Consider both regional infrastructure and the provider’s ability to scale as your needs evolve. ~ Computerworld

Composable AI consideration: 

Prioritise platforms that offer modular services and composable APIs, allowing you to scale individual components independently as requirements change.

INTEGRATION & COMPATIBILITY

Evaluate how well the AIaaS solution integrates with your existing IT environment—data sources, APIs, legacy systems, and enterprise applications. Seamless integration minimises disruption and accelerates time-to-value. ~ Encord

Composable AI consideration: 

Seek solutions that support open standards and composable integration patterns, enabling you to mix and match AI services from multiple vendors.

SECURITY &
COMPLIANCE

Given the sensitivity of business data, robust security protocols and compliance certifications (GDPR, HIPAA, etc.) are non-negotiable. Assess data residency, encryption, and vendor transparency. ~ TechTarget & Encord

SUPPORT, TRAINING & VENDOR EXPERIENCE

Look for providers with proven experience in your industry, comprehensive support services, and a track record of ongoing platform updates. Dedicated training resources are critical to adoption and value realisation. ~ Encord

PRICING & COST TRANSPARENCY

Compare pay-as-you-go, subscription, and flat-rate models. Transparent pricing and clear cost predictability are essential for budgeting and ROI analysis. ~ Computerworld

VENDOR LOCK-IN & EXIT STRATEGY

Assess the ease of migrating models, data, and workflows if you need to change providers. Vendor lock-in remains a top concern—ensure contractual clarity and technical portability. ~ TechTarget

SPECIALISATION & CUSTOMISATION

Does the platform offer domain-specific models or the flexibility to customise solutions for your unique business needs? Generic platforms may not deliver the required performance or accuracy (AIMultiple, 2025).. ~ AIMultiple

Composable AI consideration: 

Modular, composable AI services allow you to build domain-specific solutions by assembling specialised components, rather than relying on one-size-fits-all offerings.


COMPOSABLE AI CONSIDERATIONS:
 
Platforms built on composable AI principles make it easier to decouple and migrate individual services, reducing lock-in risk.

 

03 | Aligning Platform Capabilities with Business Objectives

STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
DRIVES AIaaS SUCCESS

Gysho's methodology emphasises:

BUSINESS-LED USE CASE IDENTIFICATION:
Start with workshops and advisory sessions to map high-value, feasible use cases to business goals.
 
REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATION:
Develop clear technical and functional requirements, informed by both IT and business stakeholders.
 
BUILD VS. BUY ANALYSIS:
Use structured evaluation to determine whether to configure existing solutions or develop bespoke models.

COMPOSABLE AI IN PRACTICE:

By leveraging composable AI, organisations can align platform capabilities with business objectives more precisely—selecting only the components required for each use case, and evolving their AI ecosystem as business needs change. This supports iterative delivery, rapid prototyping, and phased integration.

 

04 | Real-World Examples and Common Pitfalls

Gear connected to neural networks symbolizing self-learning, autonomous digital agents.

EXAMPLE 1:
MODULAR INTEGRATION FOR FASTER DEPLOYMENT

A global retailer leveraged an AIaaS platform to automate customer service chatbots. By prioritising integration with existing CRM systems and piloting with a modular, composable AI approach, the retailer reduced deployment time by 40% and improved customer satisfaction scores.

Security shield with a keyhole, illustrating secure single sign-on access.

EXAMPLE 2:
AVOIDING VENDOR
LOCK-IN

A financial services firm initially selected a proprietary AIaaS provider but encountered challenges migrating models and data when business needs evolved. Early-stage evaluation of exit strategies and contractual terms—and a composable AI architecture—would have mitigated this risk

COMMON PITFALLS:
 
Underestimating integration complexity, leading to project delays | Overlooking data residency and compliance requirements | Failing to plan for ongoing model maintenance and support | Neglecting the need for internal training and change management | Choosing non-composable platforms that limit future flexibility

 

05 | 2025 AIaaS Trends: What’s New and What to Watch

The AIaaS landscape is evolving rapidly. Leaders should monitor these trends:
 
MULTI-CLOUD HYBRID AIaaS : Organisations are increasingly adopting multi-cloud strategies to avoid lock-in and optimise performance across geographies. ~ Computerworld


NO-CODE/LOW-CODE AI: Platforms now offer visual interfaces and drag-and-drop tools, enabling business users to prototype and deploy AI solutions without deep technical expertise. ~ AIMultiple


VERTICAL AIaaA SOLUTIONS: Providers are launching industry-specific platforms tailored to sectors such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, offering pre-trained models and compliance features ~ Encord


FLEXIBLE PRICING MODELS: Pay-as-you-go and subscription models are becoming standard, supporting experimentation and scalability. ~ Encord


COMPOSABLE AI ARCHITECTURES: The shift toward composable AI is enabling organisations to build, integrate, and evolve AI capabilities faster and with less risk—by assembling best-of-breed services rather than relying on monolithic solutions.

 

06 | The AIaaS Platform Selection and Integration Checklist

To support a structured evaluation, Gysho recommends the following actionable checklist: 

DEFINE BUSINESS OBJECTIVES &
USE CASES

 Conduct stakeholder workshops.

  Prioritise use cases by value and feasibility.

DEVELOP TECHNICAL & COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS

 Specify integration, security, and data residency needs.

  Identify required certifications (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA).

ASSESS PLATFORM CAPABILITIES &
VENDOR TRACK RECORD

 Review scalability, support, and specialisation.

 Request case studies and references.

PILOT
&
PROTOTYPE

 Run proof-of-concept projects to validate integration and performance.

 Use modular, composable deployment to minimise risk.

EVALUATE PRICING, SUPPORT &
CONTRACT TERMS

 Compare cost models.

 Clarify support and maintenance commitments.

 Negotiate exit strategies and data portability.

PLAN FOR CHANGE MANAGEMENT &
TRAINING

 Upskill teams on platform features and best practices.

 Establish ongoing feedback and improvement cycles.

MONITOR
&
ITERATE

 Track business outcomes and model performance.

 Adjust platform usage as needs evolve.

 

What's Next? | Future-Proofing AIaaS Investments

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

For organisations ready to lead in the AI era, the time to act is now. Structured, informed decision-making—and a composable AI approach—will be the differentiator in building scalable, resilient, and innovative AI capabilities for the future.

  • Anchor platform selection in business objectives and measurable outcomes.
  • Prioritise integration, security, and vendor flexibility.
  • Embrace modular, composable, iterative deployment for rapid value realisation.
  • Monitor emerging trends and adapt strategies to future-proof investments.
Selecting and integrating an AIaaS platform in 2025 demands more than a feature-by-feature comparison. It requires strategic alignment, rigorous evaluation, and a commitment to ongoing enablement and improvement. By following a research-backed, criteria-driven playbook—anchored in Gysho’s composable AI methodology—business and technology leaders can navigate a crowded market, mitigate operational risks, and unlock sustainable value from AIaaS.

READY TO BUILD A COMPOSABLE AI FUTURE?

Our proven frameworks and actionable checklists empower your team to assess your current AI maturity, align technology with business priorities, and confidently select the right AIaaS platform. Stay ahead of the curve—partner with Gysho to unlock agility, scalability, and lasting value from your AI investments.

 

EXPLORE NEXT STEPS WITH GYSHO

 

Tags:

AIaaS criteria, AI cloud service selection, AIaaS best practices, AIaaS platform selection, AI-as-a-Service integration, AIaaS vendor comparison, enterprise AI platform, composable AI
Post by Sander de Hoogh

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