Before you sign an AI contract, have you asked how you’ll get out of it? In this episode — part two of my five-part series inspired by the AI for Developing Countries Forum in Geneva — I explore why negotiating your AI exit before you enter is one of the smartest strategic moves any government or organisation can make.
The Question Most Organisations Ask Too Late
AI procurement conversations tend to focus on implementation — timelines, costs, integrations, and services. But there is a set of questions that rarely gets asked early enough: What happens when the relationship ends?
Can you retrieve your data? Can you move it to another system? Will you retain the prompts, workflows and organisational knowledge built during the partnership? And do your employees understand the system well enough to manage a transition?
These are not questions to save for when a contract is about to expire. They should be part of the original negotiation.
Why Interoperability Is Negotiating Power
At the AIFOD session in Geneva — “Can Small Nations Negotiate with Big Tech?” — interoperability emerged as one of the most critical sources of leverage for smaller governments and organisations.
Interoperability means different systems can work together and exchange information. Without it, you can become locked into one platform, one ecosystem, one provider. And that creates real vulnerability when:
- Prices increase
- Terms of service change
- A service is discontinued
- Geopolitical or regulatory circumstances shift
- The technology simply stops meeting your needs
If you cannot move your data, connect another system, or transfer what you have built, your freedom to choose has been severely limited. That is not a minor contractual concern — it is a strategic one.
For Governments, This Is a Sovereignty Issue
Public institutions manage information, services and infrastructure that citizens depend on. They cannot treat continuity as somebody else’s responsibility. A government must know where its data is stored, who can access it, what happens to it when a contract ends, and whether public services can continue if a provider changes.
Data ownership alone is not enough. The knowledge surrounding the data matters just as much — the logic used to structure it, the workflows built around it, the decisions made during implementation.
Knowledge Transfer Cannot Be an Afterthought
This is why knowledge transfer must happen throughout a technology partnership, not just in a training session delivered at the end of a contract. As I said during the Geneva discussion: “We learn by doing.”
When your internal teams participate in the design, testing, implementation and governance of a system, knowledge stays inside the organisation. Your people learn what the system can do, where it fails, which risks need managing and how it should evolve. That transforms you from a passive customer into an informed partner.
The Questions Every Business Should Be Asking
Organisations are building real intellectual property inside AI platforms — custom assistants, prompts, knowledge bases, automated processes. Leaders need to know whether those assets belong to the organisation or remain tied to the platform. Ask yourself:
- Can we export our information in a usable format?
- Are our workflows documented outside the platform?
- Do our employees understand how the system works?
- Have we retained human oversight of important decisions?
- Could we continue operating if this tool disappeared tomorrow?
If the answer to most of those is no, you may be more dependent than you realise.
The Best Time to Negotiate Your Exit
The best time to negotiate your exit is when the provider still wants you to enter. That is when expectations can be documented, responsibilities assigned and your non-negotiables protected. The goal is not to avoid partnership — it is to ensure that partnership does not remove your choice.
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Sources
AI for Developing Countries Forum (AIFOD): Article on how small nations can negotiate with Big Tech. https://af.net/news/beyond-discounts-aifod-dialogue-examines-how-small-nations-can-negotiate-with-big-tech/
About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
