Service
AI Staff Augmentation
AI Pod Studios rents vetted AI engineers at $50/hr and Senior Leads at $75/hr. Engineers join your Slack and repos within 7 business days after MSA/SOW and deposit, work at least 4 hours/day of US Eastern overlap, and stay month-to-month with 2 weeks' notice. IP is assigned to you.
By AI Pod Studios Media Team · Updated
How we compare
| AI Pod Studios | US full-time hire | Typical agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published hourly rate | $50/hr engineer · $75/hr lead | Salary + benefits (varies) | Rates not published |
| Time to start | Slack within 7 business days of MSA/SOW + deposit | Full hiring cycle | Not published |
| Commitment | Month-to-month, 2 weeks' notice | Employment | Typically project contract |
| Replacement | Free swap in first 2 weeks | Re-hire | Not published |
| IP ownership | Assigned to client | Employer | Per contract |
| Fixed-price pilot | $5,000 two-week Sprint | — | Not published |
"Rates not published" means we could not find a published figure; verify with each provider.
Deliverables
- Named AI engineer(s) in your Slack
- Work in your repos, your tickets, your standups
- Weekly hours reporting
- Free swap in the first 2 weeks
Process
- 01
Scoping call on skills and hours
- 02
MSA/SOW + deposit
- 03
Engineer joins Slack within 7 business days
- 04
Month-to-month from there
Pricing
| Option | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| AI Engineer | $50/hr | Vetted engineer, part-time or full-time |
| Senior Lead | $75/hr | Architecture, reviews, delivery lead |
| The Pod: 1 Senior Lead + 2 AI Engineers, full-time in your Slack | $75/hr Lead + $50/hr Engineers | Pod totals quoted on your scoping call |
| AI Sprint (by AI Pod Lab) | $5,000 flat | 2 weeks, scoped build, code is yours |
AI Staff Augmentation FAQ
+How fast can an AI engineer start?
Engineers join your Slack within 7 business days after the MSA/SOW is signed and the deposit is received.
+What if the engineer is not a fit?
Engineer swaps are free in the first 2 weeks. After that you can cancel with 2 weeks' notice.
+Who owns the code?
IP is assigned to the client. An NDA is available before any details are shared.
AI Pod Lab Sprint
$5,000. Two weeks. Working code you own.
Then roll straight into $50/hr engineering — or stop. Your call.