The InnovateUS logo represented by the word 'innovate' in dark blue, lowercase letters, next to the word 'us' in gold lowercase letters, surrounded by parentheses.
AI Insourcing and the Government Product Model

AI Changes: Buy vs. Build

DateNovember 4, 2026, 2:00 PM ET
Duration60 minutes

AI is changing the choices public agencies face when planning new technology. Work that once required lengthy procurements or expensive custom software can now sometimes be prototyped, tested, or improved by public-sector teams using generative and agentic AI.

In this workshop, you will explore how AI is changing the economics of government technology and what that means for buy-versus-build decisions. You will learn how to assess when to purchase commercial tools, when to build internally, and when to combine both approaches to create services that are sustainable, accountable, and valuable to the public.

Learning Goals

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Assess how generative and agentic AI are changing buy-versus-build decisions in government.
  • Identify when to buy, build, or combine commercial and internally developed solutions.
  • Evaluate tradeoffs around cost, speed, sustainability, accountability, and public value.

This workshop is part of the AI Insourcing and the Government Product Model

Other workshops in theAI Insourcing and the Government Product Model
10
DecemberThu
2:00 PM ET
AI Insourcing and the Government Product ModelAI Insourcing and the Government Product Model

Scaling Government Innovation

04
DecemberFri
2:00 PM ET
AI Insourcing and the Government Product ModelAI Insourcing and the Government Product Model

Building High-Performing Product Teams

17
NovemberTue
2:00 PM ET
AI Insourcing and the Government Product ModelAI Insourcing and the Government Product Model

The Rise of the Citizen Developer

09
NovemberMon
2:00 PM ET
AI Insourcing and the Government Product ModelAI Insourcing and the Government Product Model

From Projects to Products