“Show me the ROI of AI!” — Oh, you’re still falling for that bullshit? Seriously?
Alright, for the rest of you who aren’t just here to parrot buzzwords and actually want to understand how money *really* works in software, listen up.
You’re asking the wrong question to the wrong people. Your vendors, consultants, and “AI evangelists” are laughing all the way to the bank while you chase phantom “AI ROI.” They can’t show you the economic effect of “AI implementation” because it doesn’t exist. Not for *you*.
Here’s the brutal truth: The direct economic effect for a client isn’t from “implementing AI.” It’s from the *business results* and *improved functions* that AI *enables*. You’re confusing the tool with the outcome.
Let’s break it down, simple.
1. **Your Game:** You (the client) justify features based on *your* business impact. Reduced costs, increased revenue, better customer loyalty. That’s *your* job.
2. **Their Game:** The vendor’s interest? Sell high, spend low. Their “AI ROI” is about *their* efficiency in building *your* features. They use AI to cut *their* costs, not to guarantee *your* market success.
3. **The Feature is King:** When you “implement AI” for, say, customer support, the ROI isn’t from the AI. It’s from faster, better customer service. The AI is just the engine.
This isn’t just semantics. If you build it in-house, same rules apply. Your internal team becomes the “vendor” with the same cost-cutting incentives.
The real danger? Unscrupulous vendors weaponize this “AI ROI” demagoguery. They’ll tell you your current partners can’t show AI effect, but *they* can. Bullshit.
You won’t “master AI.” You’ll just get locked into another vendor, under a new, shiny “AI” label.
Focus on *your* business outcomes. Understand the *real* economics of features. That’s how you cut through the noise, avoid vendor lock-in, and gain an unfair advantage. Stop chasing ghosts.
