AI automation ROI calculator
Put in one task your team does by hand and see the monthly saving, the payback period and the net result over three years.
Free, runs in your browser, no sign-up. Updated 2026-10-25.
Result
Saves 200 hours and $6,400 net a month. Pays back in 6.3 months; net $190,400 over 3 years (ROI 309%).
- Hours saved / month
- 200
- Gross saving / month
- $7,000
- Net saving / month
- $6,400
- ROI over 3 years
- 309%
Assumes AI takes on 50% of each task. The defaults are example inputs; replace them with your own.
Assumptions
Every number the result depends on, and where it comes from. Change any value and the result updates.
| Assumption | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Share of each task automated | % | OceanLab assumption. Placeholder. Measure it on a pilot; human review time often stays.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
| Horizon | months | OceanLab assumption. Three years, a common planning horizon for internal software.Reviewed 2026-10-25 |
Send this estimate to OceanLab
Opens an email to OceanLab with this result and a link to your inputs. Nothing is sent until you press send, and there is no sign-up.
How this is calculated
Hours saved per month = minutes per task × tasks per month × the share AI can take on ÷ 60.
Gross monthly saving = hours saved × loaded hourly cost. Net monthly saving subtracts the monthly running cost (model usage, hosting, monitoring).
Payback = build cost ÷ net monthly saving. Net over the horizon = net monthly saving × months − build cost. If running costs are equal to or above the saving, the build never pays back.
The 50% automatable share is a placeholder. Measure it on a pilot: reviewing AI output usually still takes some human time.
Questions about this tool
What is a loaded hourly cost?
Salary plus benefits, taxes, equipment and overhead, divided by productive hours. It is higher than the hourly wage.
How much of a task can AI automate?
It depends on the task. Measure it on a small pilot rather than guessing; the default of 50% is only a starting point.
Why can payback be 'never'?
If the monthly running cost is equal to or higher than the monthly saving, the build cost is never paid back.
Is anything I enter sent anywhere?
No. The tool runs in your browser and there is no sign-up. Nothing leaves the page unless you choose to email your result to OceanLab.
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