How much do AI agents really cost your business?

The framework separates two distinct costs of agentic AI systems: technical debt (design and governance liabilities that accumulate over time) and stochastic tax (recurring operating burden from probabilistic failures). Debt can amplify the tax, but the tax persists even with minimal debt. The authors provide equations, operational metrics, and a simulation showing how accounts-payable workflows accumulate these costs—letting managers quantify AI agent expenses beyond just salary replacements.