Four questions, one honest verdict: consultant, contractor, full-time hire, or nobody. This is the interactive version of the essay, with the same incentives removed: one of the possible answers really is "don't hire me."
01 / The build
How well could you describe the thing that should be built?
02 / Permanence
Will AI be part of your product, or a capability you maintain in-house indefinitely?
03 / Today
How is the workflow actually doing at today's volume?
04 / Stakes
Does the work carry legal or regulatory accountability?