From AI Prototype to Public Beta: Launch Checklist

Public beta is the moment strangers can sign up without an invite code and expect the core AI loop to work. This checklist is for that moment — not for a private dogfood, and not for “GA with enterprise SSO.”

Use it alongside the broader AI SaaS production readiness checklist and the narrative guide prototype to production.

Before you schedule a launch date

• [ ] Core loop works twice in a row on production (not only localhost)
• [ ] Someone who is not you completed signup → first successful AI result
• [ ] Known bugs are listed; none are “data leaks” or “cross-tenant reads”
• [ ] Beta limitations written in plain language on the site or FAQ
• [ ] Success metric for the beta defined (e.g. % of signups reaching first success, qualitative feedback count)

If these are open, you do not have a launch problem — you still have a product problem.

Trust & security gate (must be green)

• [ ] Provider and admin keys are server-only in production
• [ ] Auth protects AI routes; anonymous callers cannot spend your tokens
• [ ] Two-account test proves isolation of user data
• [ ] Rate limiting enabled on AI actions
• [ ] File uploads (if any) validated for type/size
• [ ] No debug bypasses left enabled
• [ ] HTTPS and correct auth redirect URLs for the production domain

Run security review if any item is uncertain.

AI quality & operability gate

• [ ] Default model and prompts frozen for launch week (no live experimentation on every request)
• [ ] Failures persist with status the UI can show
• [ ] Timeouts produce a human-readable message
• [ ] Kill switch ready (env flag / config) to disable generations
• [ ] Sample of real inputs reviewed for obviously bad outputs
• [ ] “Regenerate” does not create silent infinite loops

Cost & abuse gate

• [ ] Cost per successful action estimated (AI SaaS Cost Calculator)
• [ ] Per-user daily cap set and enforced server-side
• [ ] Spike scenario (launch post traffic) considered affordable or capped
• [ ] Provider billing alerts configured
• [ ] Plan for what happens when caps hit (upgrade CTA, wait until reset, or contact form)

See also reduce OpenAI API costs if your estimated COGS is uncomfortable.

Privacy & messaging gate

• [ ] Privacy policy and terms linked in the footer
• [ ] Copy states what content is sent to model providers
• [ ] Retention / deletion story exists (even if manually operated for now)
• [ ] Marketing claims match model capabilities (no “guaranteed accuracy” unless you can defend it)
• [ ] Beta label visible where expectations should stay soft

Support readiness

• [ ] Support email or form monitored during launch window
• [ ] FAQ covers login issues, failed generations, and caps
• [ ] Canned replies for common errors drafted
• [ ] Escalation path if the provider is down (status page link or honest banner)
• [ ] You know how to look up a user and their recent AI runs in the database

Launch assets

• [ ] Landing page explains the one job and CTA is signup/login
• [ ] Screenshots or short demo reflect the current UI
• [ ] Changelog or “what’s in beta” note prepared
• [ ] Social / community post drafted with correct URL and limitations
• [ ] Analytics events live for signup and first success
• [ ] Favicon / Open Graph basics so shares do not look broken

Soft launch (recommended same day or day before public noise)

• [ ] Open signup quietly to a small audience first
• [ ] Watch error tracker + provider usage for 1–2 hours
• [ ] Fix or disable anything alarming before posting widely
• [ ] Confirm emails (if used) deliver and do not land in spam for your test accounts

Day-of public launch

• [ ] Kill switch location written down where you can find it under stress
• [ ] Provider dashboards open (usage, errors)
• [ ] App error tracking open
• [ ] Database backup status confirmed (enabled)
• [ ] Post launch message with feedback link
• [ ] Cap expectations in the post (“beta”, known limits)
• [ ] Schedule short check-ins (T+1h, T+4h, T+24h) rather than staring at graphs all day

First 72 hours

• [ ] Triage feedback into bugs / UX confusion / feature requests
• [ ] Patch only high-severity issues; park wishlist items
• [ ] Compare actual cost vs calculator assumptions; tighten caps if needed
• [ ] Thank early users who sent reproducible reports
• [ ] Decide: extend beta, pause signups, or prepare a next milestone

Explicit non-goals for public beta week

Do not block launch on:

• Perfect design system
• Team accounts
• Mobile native apps
• Multi-model playgrounds
• Full SOC 2 paperwork (unless your audience truly requires it to try a beta)

Do block launch on trust, cost control, and a completable core loop.

Optional Cursor pass before you post

Use prepare MVP for public beta to generate a file-mapped punch list, then clear remaining boxes above. If the punch list is long, slip the launch date — URLs are easy to post; trust is expensive to rebuild.

Go / no-go summary

Go when trust, AI operability, cost caps, privacy basics, and support coverage are checked, and a non-you user succeeded on production.

No-go when cross-tenant risk, unbounded spend, or a broken first-run experience remains.

Public beta is not a parade. It is a controlled experiment with strangers. Treat the checklist as the experiment protocol.