Large language models

LLM Development: Putting Language Models to Work in Your Business

LLM development makes large language models such as GPT, Claude or Llama usable for your specific tasks: connected to your company knowledge via RAG, adapted through fine-tuning where needed and integrated into your systems. Context Studios, an AI-native development studio in Berlin, turns this into monitored, GDPR-compliant applications instead of chat-window experiments.

Historic brick electrical substation seen from below with tall window bands, transformers with teal cooling fins in front – a symbol of transformer models that turn energy into usable powerAI-generated image
GPT · Claude · Llama · MistralRAG · fine-tuning · prompt engineeringIntegration with CRM, ERP and helpdeskGDPR-compliant, on-premise possible
  1. Workshop
  2. Setup
  3. Sprint
  4. Build & Support

Fixed price after scoping · proposal within 48 h

Last updated:

(01)

What is LLM development?

AI service

LLM development covers the design, adaptation and integration of large language models into business applications. The focus is rarely on training your own models, but on orchestrating existing foundation models such as GPT, Claude, Llama or Mistral with prompt engineering, RAG, fine-tuning and agent architectures.

Specialisation
LLM applications, RAG systems, agent architectures, GPT integrations
Technologies
GPT, Claude, Llama, Mistral, Qwen, LangGraph, Convex
Target group
Mid-sized companies and enterprises with text-heavy processes
Project duration
Typically 4–16 weeks, depending on complexity
Compliance
GDPR, EU AI Act in view, on-premise options

AI IntegrationLLM IntegrationRAG DevelopmentLLM Fine-TuningAI Chatbot Development

(02)

What does our work with language models include?

Six building blocks for production language model applications

(01)

Model selection (GPT, Claude, Llama, Mistral)

Multi-model strategy: we compare models on your own sample tasks and use GPT, Claude, Llama or other models specifically where quality, cost and data protection fit together best.

(02)

Prompt engineering and evaluation

Systematically developed prompts with test sets and automated evaluations ensure consistent outputs. Every change is measured before it goes into production.

(03)

RAG pipelines (Pinecone, Weaviate)

Language models connected to your company knowledge: RAG delivers source-based answers from documents and databases and keeps knowledge current without retraining the model.

(04)

Fine-tuning (LoRA, QLoRA)

Domain-specific adaptation of models to your terminology, formats and tone of voice when prompting and RAG alone are not enough. We check beforehand whether the effort is worthwhile.

(05)

Agent architectures (LangGraph)

AI systems that plan, use tools and complete multi-step tasks: agent architectures connect language models with your systems and keep people in the loop for critical steps.

(06)

Guardrails and compliance (EU AI Act, GDPR)

Guardrails, logging, model routing and caching: outputs stay within the defined scope, decisions remain traceable and ongoing API costs stay predictable.

(03)

How does an LLM project work?

From the first idea to a monitored application in production.

  1. (01)

    Initial call

    Free 30-minute initial call by video. We clarify the use case, data sources and data protection requirements and give you a first assessment of feasibility, model choice and timeline.

    30 minutes
  2. (02)

    Evaluation and proposal

    We test suitable models on sample tasks from your daily business and define quality criteria. You receive a written proposal with scope, timeline and fixed price.

    after scoping
  3. (03)

    Development

    Agile development with weekly demos. Goal: a first production version in approx. 4–8 weeks, with test sets, guardrails, monitoring and integration into your systems.

    Goal: approx. 4–8 weeks
  4. (04)

    Launch and operation

    Production deployment with complete documentation and 30 days of free bug fixing from final delivery. Quality and cost monitoring and further development by agreement.

    afterwards

Frequently asked questions about LLM development

(01)Which large language model is best suited to my business?
That depends on the use case: we weight text quality, language, cost per request, response speed and data protection requirements differently for each project. We work with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Mistral and other models, test them on your own sample tasks and recommend the right model. A combination often makes sense, with simple tasks routed to cheaper models.
(02)What does it cost to develop an LLM-based application?
Costs depend on the use case, the number of data sources and integrations, the need for fine-tuning and the requirements for hosting and compliance. On top come running costs for model calls, which we keep predictable with routing and caching. After a short scoping you receive a clear proposal: fixed price after scoping, proposal within 48 hours.
(03)How long does it take to develop an LLM solution?
The goal for a first production version is typically a period of approx. 4–8 weeks. A complete solution with fine-tuning, several integrations and enterprise features typically takes 8–16 weeks. The decisive factors are the data situation, the number of connected systems and the approval paths in your company. We agree the schedule together after scoping.
(04)Can LLMs work with our internal company data?
Yes. Through RAG architectures, language models access your documents, wikis and databases at runtime without this data being trained into the model. Access rights are preserved, so each person only receives answers from sources they are allowed to see. Fine-tuning can additionally adapt models to your domain and terminology.
(05)How do we avoid hallucinations in LLM answers?
Hallucinations cannot be ruled out completely, but they can be reduced significantly. We anchor answers in your sources via RAG and have the model cite them. We add structured outputs, plausibility checks and confidence thresholds that route uncertain cases to people. Test sets with real questions show before every release how reliably the application answers.
(06)Can GPT or Claude be used in a GDPR-compliant way?
Yes, with the right architecture. We use European hosting options and the providers' data processing agreements, encrypt data and pseudonymise personal content before it reaches a model. For particularly sensitive data we use open-weight models on your own infrastructure. We clarify which option fits together with your data protection officer.
(07)What is the difference between fine-tuning and RAG?
Fine-tuning adapts the model weights to your terminology, formats and tone; the knowledge then sits inside the model. RAG lets the model access your company knowledge at runtime and answer based on sources; changes to documents take effect immediately. For current factual knowledge RAG is usually the better choice, for style and special formats fine-tuning. Both approaches can be combined.
(08)Can we connect existing systems such as SAP or Salesforce to an LLM?
Yes. Via APIs, function calling and, where useful, the Model Context Protocol, we connect language models to CRM, ERP, helpdesk, DMS and other platforms. The model can then query data, create records or trigger workflows, always with the permissions you define. Critical actions can be tied to human approval.
(09)How do we measure the ROI of an LLM implementation?
Before the project starts we define measurable criteria, such as processing time per case, the share of requests resolved automatically or the error rate, and record a baseline. After launch we compare these values with project and operating costs. We check quality through automated benchmarks, human evaluation and A/B tests; model routing additionally lowers ongoing API costs.
(10)Which open-source models do you recommend as an alternative to GPT?
Llama, Mistral, Qwen and DeepSeek are capable open-weight alternatives that can also be self-hosted. Which model fits depends on the task, language, required quality and existing infrastructure. We evaluate the candidates on your sample tasks and also take licence terms and the effort for operation and updates into account.
(11)How does a professional GPT or LLM solution differ from ChatGPT or custom GPTs?
ChatGPT and custom GPTs from the GPT Store are useful for getting started. A professional solution goes much further: function calling, database connections, multi-step workflows, guardrails, logging, error handling and scaling. With your own API integration you keep control over data flows, keys and access and get a monitored application that is integrated into your systems.
(12)Can GPT applications also run offline or on-premise?
OpenAI's GPT models require an API connection; Azure OpenAI offers private endpoints in your virtual network. For fully offline-capable solutions we use open-weight models such as Llama or Mistral on your own infrastructure. We build the application so that the model can be swapped later without changing the rest of the architecture.
(04)

What do we build LLM applications with?

(01)

Language models

GPTClaudeGeminiLlamaMistralQwenDeepSeek
(02)

RAG & data

Vector DBs (Pinecone, Weaviate)EmbeddingsHybrid SearchPostgreSQLConvex
(03)

Orchestration

LangGraphVercel AI SDKMCP (Model Context Protocol)Function CallingLoRA / QLoRA
(04)

Operations

Azure OpenAISelf-Hosting (vLLM)Docker & KubernetesMonitoring & EvalsGuardrails
(05)

In which industries do we use LLMs?

Financial services

Reporting, risk analyses and compliance checks with language models that understand financial terminology. Logging and human approvals keep supervisory requirements in view.

Healthcare

Medical documentation, pre-structuring of findings and patient communication with language models that master medical terminology. Medical decisions remain with doctors.

Legal

Contract analysis, legal research and document drafting: language models prepare legal work, flag relevant passages and deliver drafts for review by professionals.

E-commerce & retail

Product descriptions, customer service and recommendations: on-brand content that can be generated at scale and checked automatically before publication.

Media & publishing

Editorial assistance, summaries and translations: language models support editorial workflows, while responsibility for content stays with the editorial team.

Technology & software

Code generation, technical documentation and developer tools: language models speed up development processes and relieve teams of recurring tasks.

(06)

Examples of LLM projects

Examples we can deliver with you. Stated results are targets.

Customer service

LLM support agent with source references

A support agent based on a language model that understands customer requests, answers from the knowledge base and hands uncertain cases over to the team.

Goal: automated first response · Multilingual · Available 24/7
Knowledge management

Research assistant for specialist documents

A RAG system for searching large collections of specialist documents that delivers answers with source references and respects access rights.

Source-based answers · Permissions per user group · Goal: faster research
Process automation

Document review with structured outputs

A language model that checks contracts or applications, delivers key data as structured output and flags deviations for approval.

Schema-validated outputs · Human-in-the-loop · Goal: less manual review time
(07)

Language model projects from Berlin-Charlottenburg

Founder AI-native since
2024
Address
Kaiser-Friedrich-Str. 6, 10585 Berlin
Email
info [at] contextstudios [dot] ai

Which task should a language model take on in your business?

Discuss use case, data sources and data protection in a free 30-minute call directly with the founder. You get an honest assessment of model choice and feasibility.