Glossary
Vendor lock-in
What is vendor lock-in?
Vendor lock-in is when leaving a product would cost so much, in data, rework, retraining or lost history, that you stay even after a better option appears.
Why it matters
AI tools and models change every few months, so the freedom to switch is worth more than usual. Keeping your test cases, rules, prompts and data portable, and checking export terms before you sign, keeps that freedom.
Example
A company keeps its test cases and routing rules outside its support vendor. When a rival tool appears, it re-runs the tests in a week and switches, because the rival scores higher on its own tickets.