Talbot West (Salt Lake City, UT) is an AI consulting firm that helps mid-market firms implement modular, adaptable AI systems, combining technical depth with human oversight to drive sustainable transformation across public and private sectors.
Salt Lake City, Utah - April 15, 2025
Salt Lake City-based Talbot West is carving out a niche in artificial intelligence consulting by helping mid-market organizations adopt modular, scalable AI systems. Founded by entrepreneur Jacob Andra and former Oracle executive Stephen Karafiath, the firm is focused on practical, long-term AI integration—without the baggage of rigid software licensing or VC-driven product roadmaps.
The company operates intentionally as a consulting firm rather than a product company. “We’re bootstrapped by design,” says Andra. “It allows us to stay focused on solving real problems, not chasing valuations.”
From Marketing Tech to AI Consulting
Andra launched Talbot West after using AI to streamline operations at his previous marketing company, CustomerFaucet. That experience revealed a broader market need: helping organizations navigate AI implementation with agility and clarity.
Karafiath, a 20-year Oracle veteran who led its Developer Innovations Team, joined Andra to co-found the company. “At Oracle, Steve worked with huge teams to build solutions within a closed tech stack,” says Andra. “Now, we can choose what's best for the client—open-source, SaaS, or custom neural networks.”
Together, they’re bringing Fortune 500-level AI consulting to organizations that typically operate without that level of access or expertise.
Modular Architecture Over Monolithic AI
What sets Talbot West apart is its commitment to modular system design. “We don’t believe in monoliths,” Andra says. “We create AI systems like Lego sets. Each module performs a defined function and can be replaced, upgraded, or removed independently.”
This design philosophy underpins their proprietary architecture: CHAI (Cognitive Hive AI). Inspired by the distributed intelligence of bee colonies, CHAI breaks down complex tasks into specialized subtasks, handled by a network of AI agents.
These ensembles often use smaller, purpose-built models—for editing, critique, or analysis—that outperform single large models when combined. CHAI’s architecture aligns with the Department of Defense’s Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), making it suitable for clients with evolving infrastructure needs, including in government and defense sectors.
“LLMs are just one corner of the AI universe,” says Andra. “For complex use cases, we build ensembles that integrate different types of models, orchestrated by a central neural network.”
Cross-Industry Value, Human-Centric Design
Talbot West serves a range of industries—legal, insurance, HR—avoiding the constraints of vertical-specific solutions. The firm emphasizes “human-in-the-loop” systems that require human oversight at critical decision points. “AI won’t replace people,” says Andra. “But people who know how to work with AI will replace those who don’t.”
Their systems are designed to evolve based on user feedback, encouraging continuous co-adaptation between human operators and AI agents. The goal is sustainable, scalable implementation with clear ROI evaluation at every stage.
Building Utah’s Public-Private AI Pipeline
In addition to its private-sector work, Talbot West is engaged in Utah’s broader innovation ecosystem. Through its affiliation with 47G, the state’s strategic tech coalition, the firm is working to expand AI capabilities within the public sector.
This week, Talbot West is hosting a panel discussion featuring Wendy Whitcomb, former DocuSign executive who scaled the company’s public-sector division into a $100M+ revenue stream. The event is aimed at helping Utah companies navigate the complexities of government partnerships. “Public-sector sales require different strategies,” Andra says. “Wendy’s experience with Oracle, Salesforce, and DocuSign is invaluable.”
A System-of-Systems Future
Looking ahead, Talbot West envisions AI functioning as a company's nervous system—modular, adaptive, and integrated across departments. “We help companies start small, with one use case,” says Andra. “But eventually, it all connects. Inventory talks to sales. Sales talks to marketing. One day, you’ll have an AI that knows your whole business.”
With deep roots in Utah and growing national traction, Talbot West is building and innovating a blueprint for AI integration, one modular piece at a time.
Learn more at Talbot West.