An AI ROI business case builder turns scattered estimates into the numbers a board actually asks for: payback period, return on investment, and net present value. Many AI pilots stall not because the idea is weak but because nobody put a defensible financial case behind it. This tool does the arithmetic so you can focus on getting the assumptions right.
How it works
You enter four figures: the one-off implementation cost, the recurring annual running cost, the expected annual productivity savings, and any annual revenue uplift. The tool computes the net annual benefit (savings plus revenue minus running cost), then derives the payback period by dividing the upfront cost by that benefit. It computes ROI over your chosen horizon and a simple NPV that discounts each year’s benefit by a rate you set and subtracts the upfront cost. All maths runs in your browser, so your numbers never leave your machine.
Tips and examples
Use conservative inputs — a case that survives pessimistic assumptions is far more persuasive than an optimistic one that collapses under a question. Separate hard savings (hours removed, licences retired) from soft benefits (faster turnaround) and, if challenged, be ready to defend the case on hard savings alone. Stress-test by raising the discount rate and shrinking the benefits; if NPV stays positive, the project is robust. Pair this with the AI use case library to pick high-ROI candidates, and revisit the model after a pilot with measured rather than estimated figures so the full rollout case is grounded in evidence.