Use total workflow cost divided by unique, correctly completed, policy-compliant tasks as the core operating measure. Report autonomous completions separately from tasks that needed human rescue.
The following is a desk-created example; all inputs are hypothetical:
| Monthly cost component | Assumption | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AI usage | 1,000 calls × four minutes × $0.18 | $720 |
| Setup allocation | $6,000 spread over 12 months | $500 |
| Support and maintenance | Assumed | $300 |
| Monitoring and quality review | Assumed | $400 |
| Human rescue and correction | Assumed | $600 |
| Total modelled workflow cost | $2,520 |
Suppose those calls produce 600 autonomous completions and 200 additional human-rescued completions. The remaining 200 do not complete successfully.
- Direct AI usage per autonomous completion: $720 ÷ 600 = $1.20. This is a partial usage ratio, not the full cost of an autonomous operating model.
- Total workflow cost per successful outcome: $2,520 ÷ 800 = $3.15.
- If the comparable existing process costs an assumed $3,600 for the same 800 outcomes, its cost is $4.50 per outcome.
The resulting $1,080 monthly modelled difference is not automatically a cash saving. Identify which expenditures actually disappear and how the upfront implementation payment affects cash flow.
Keep three benefit lines separate: cash savings, avoided hiring and incremental contribution. Do not add the value of released staff time to payroll savings for the same hours.