Free AI Cost Assessment Tool

What's Your AI Project Really Going to Cost?

Vendor quotes cover only 20-40% of real implementation costs.3,4 Our calculator uses industry research to show you the full picture.

Calculate Your True Cost →

Based on independently published research — not vendor marketing

80%+
of AI projects fail1
2x
the failure rate of non-AI IT projects1
46%
of proof-of-concepts scrapped before production2
42%
of companies abandoned most AI initiatives in 20252

Your free report includes:

The calculator is just the start. We built these so you can walk into any vendor meeting with better numbers than the person selling to you.

Cost Benchmarks — What every phase actually costs, from data prep to retraining. Industry-sourced, not vendor-supplied. Build vs Buy — The four questions experienced teams ask before choosing a deployment model. Side-by-side cost comparison. ROI Reality Check — Plug in your numbers and see when your project actually breaks even. Most people don't like the answer. Free Resources — Government grants, free cloud credits, open-source alternatives, and a glossary so you sound like you've done this before.

Latest Research

Cost Analysis
AI Vendor Quotes vs Reality: What Your $200K Project Will Actually Cost
Research
Why 80% of AI Projects Fail (And How to Be in the 20%)
Strategy
Build vs Buy AI in 2026: The Framework That Saves $500K
Manufacturing
The Hidden Costs of AI in Manufacturing: A Plant Manager's Guide

View all articles →

Sources

1 Ryseff, J., De Bruhl, B.F., & Newberry, S.J. (2024). The Root Causes of Failure for Artificial Intelligence Projects and How They Can Succeed. RAND Corporation, RR-A2680-1. rand.org

2 S&P Global Market Intelligence (2025). AI project failure survey of 1,000+ enterprises in North America and Europe. Via CIO Dive

3 Pertama Partners (2025). AI Total Cost of Ownership: Beyond the License Fee. "License fees represent only 20–40% of true AI costs… True AI costs typically run 2–5× the sticker price." pertamapartners.com

4 Gowan, I. (2026). AI Integration Costs: The Hidden Expenses of AI Adoption. Opagio. "The licensing fee represents 20–30% of the total cost of getting AI operational." opag.io

5 Keyhole Software (2026). AI Software Development Costs 2026: Enterprise Spending, TCO, and ROI Analysis. Citing CIO.com survey: "Nearly a quarter of organizations underestimate costs by 50% or more." keyholesoftware.com