Is that AI agent worth it? Agentic economics and the modern operating model
Executive Take
Leaders who evaluate AI agents purely on cost-per-task will underinvest in the operating-model redesign needed to capture real returns; the ROI conversation must shift from spend reduction to value and workflow transformation.
Executive Summary
McKinsey argues that as companies scrutinize rising costs of deploying AI agents, they risk focusing too narrowly on cost control and losing sight of the larger value opportunity. The piece frames "agentic economics" as a lens for evaluating AI agent investments within the context of redesigning the broader operating model, rather than treating cost as the primary metric.
Why It Matters
HR and technology executives are being pressed to justify AI agent budgets, and a narrow cost lens risks premature cuts to initiatives that require sustained investment and organizational redesign to pay off.
Bizquad Perspective
Cost scrutiny on AI agents will intensify before it eases, so executives who build clear value-attribution frameworks now will be better positioned to defend and scale investments later.