OpenAI's July 14 guidance for managing AI investments recommends five moves: improve visibility into usage and spend, evaluate efficiency by outcome ROI, govern advanced workflows before scaling, fund workflows that compound, and match capacity to proven demand.
Primary source: OpenAI, “How to manage AI investments in the agentic era”.
The hard part is the denominator. “This agent used $800” says little. “This workflow cost $14 per accepted reconciliation, including review and rework” can support a decision.
Here is a one-page ledger I would require for an agent pilot.
Define one accepted outcome
