FAQ
Candid answers before you engage
Straight talk about how our Vancouver applied-AI studio works — budgets, timelines, models, privacy and the limits of generative systems. No hype, no hidden upsells.
Is SynthPulse an AI course, an AI-income scheme, or a wellness/health app (because of `.life` and `Pulse`)?
No to all. We are a generative-AI and automation studio that builds custom AI systems for client organizations — not a course, not an "AI income" or passive-income scheme, and the `.life` TLD is branding only (not life coaching, wellness or health). "Synth" means synthesis / generative AI and "Pulse" means the live monitoring cadence of the systems we run — not a heartbeat. We do not guarantee accuracy, savings or ROI.
How do engagements work — project vs retainer?
Most clients start with a fixed-scope project: discovery sprint, gen-AI prototype or production deployment with defined deliverables and CAD fees. Retainers suit teams that need ongoing model evaluation, guardrail updates, workflow automation tweaks and roadmap support. We spell out project scope in writing before work begins — no open-ended "innovation hours" without caps unless you explicitly want a retainer.
What budgets should we expect?
Discovery and prototype work often falls between C$18,000 and C$45,000. Full production deployments with integrations, retrieval-augmented generation and monitoring commonly range from C$35,000 to C$90,000 depending on complexity. Retainers for live monitoring and iteration typically start around C$6,500 per month. We provide estimates after understanding your data, integrations and compliance needs — not from a generic price list.
How long does a prototype take?
A focused gen-AI prototype loop usually runs three to six weeks from kickoff to reviewable assistant or automation — assuming client stakeholders are available for weekly checkpoints. Production deployment timelines vary with API integration depth, security reviews and eval coverage. We will tell you if your scope needs phasing rather than pretending everything ships in one sprint.
Which models and tools do you use?
We are model-agnostic within responsible limits: commercial large language models, open-weight options where appropriate, and your existing cloud or on-prem constraints. Tooling spans Python services, vector stores, orchestration frameworks and your CRM/ticket APIs. AI strategy includes picking models that match latency, cost and data residency — not chasing whichever launch blog is trending.
How do you handle data privacy and security?
SynthPulse follows PIPEDA-aligned practices for Canadian client data: purpose limitation, access controls, encryption in transit, retention schedules and breach notification procedures defined in our agreements. Client data is processed only to deliver the engagement — we do not sell or broker data. NDAs and DPAs are standard for enterprise teams. See our Privacy Policy for website visitors; client project terms are customized in contracts.
Who owns code, models and IP?
Custom code and integration work product is assigned to you on payment unless otherwise agreed. Pre-existing studio libraries remain ours, licensed to you for the deployment. Third-party model weights and API terms follow their vendors. We document what you own versus what requires ongoing vendor subscriptions so there are no surprises at handoff.
How accurate are your AI assistants and automations?
Not perfect — ever. Generative AI produces errors, bias and hallucinations. We engineer human-in-the-loop review, guardrails, retrieval grounding and model evaluation to reduce risk, but we do not guarantee accuracy, predictions or that automation will replace judgment on high-stakes decisions. If a vendor promises flawless autonomy, that is not us.
What do you refuse to do?
We do not build crypto or AI-trading bots, AGI hype projects, covert surveillance, medical diagnosis tools or "replace your entire team" automations without oversight. We do not sell training courses or AI-income schemes. We do not guarantee ROI, cost savings or specific business outcomes. We will decline work that conflicts with responsible-AI principles or Canadian privacy expectations.
AI & results disclaimer: SynthPulse provides generative-AI design, development and consulting for client organizations. AI outputs require human review. We do not guarantee specific business results, savings or return on investment. Outcomes depend on data quality, scope, budget and adoption.