AI may promise long-term efficiencies for your business, but enterprises tiptoeing into the arena (or “AI leapers” diving right in) can’t be too careful. Deploying AI tools is like peeling an onion; there’s layer upon layer to contend with, and without care, you’ll end up in tears.
According to a new report, 80% of enterprises are missing their AI infrastructure forecasts by more than 25%. The “2025 State of AI Cost Management” report, published by consulting firm Benchmarkit and cost governance platform Mavvrik, also finds 84% of companies see over 6% gross margin erosion due to AI infrastructure costs.
“These numbers should rattle every finance leader,” said Benchmarkit CEO Ray Rike. “AI is no longer just experimental—it’s hitting gross margins, and most companies can’t even predict the impact.”
Margin compression emerges as a real risk, and the catalysts for this fit into a few specific buckets:
- Hidden costs: The top-ranking is data platform usage (56%), followed by networking charges (52%).
- Visibility gaps: Most companies (94%) say they track costs, but only 34% have mature cost management.
- AI repatriation: Only 35% include on-premises AI costs in reporting.
“AI is blowing up the assumptions baked into budgets,” said Mavvrik CEO Sundeep Goel. “What used to be predictable is now elastic and expensive.”
Big takeaway: Companies need to be smart about their investments: Scaling AI requires keeping a close eye on creeping costs, meaning more accurate forecasting, and perhaps more realistic expectations all around.
For the people behind the pipeline.
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