EY Creates ‘Agent Economics’ Unit to Track Returns From AI Investments

Professional services firm EY is setting up a new internal unit to manage the economics of its growing AI-powered workforce at a time when companies are increasingly trying to get to grips with the cost and uncertain returns of AI deployments.

The company is seeking a Head of Agent Economics, a new position that will head up an AI Value Realisation Office. The unit will monitor the effects of AI investments on business results and operational performance, and provide EY leadership with increased insight into where AI investments are being made and whether those investments are creating measurable value.

The new office will give “end-to-end visibility” into how AI investments are creating material impact across the business, said Dan Diasio, EY’s Global Consulting AI Leader.

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Tracking the Cost of AI:

The move comes as companies increasingly turn to usage-based AI pricing, with tech providers charging based on variables like computing resources and AI token consumption.

But as adoption rises, companies are struggling with higher AI bills while trying to figure out whether their deployments are generating enough returns.

A June survey from Bain & Co., reported by Bloomberg, found many companies were seeing less cost savings than expected from AI initiatives. In a separate study last year, MIT found that most corporate AI pilots failed.

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Managing an AI Workforce:

EY executives said that traditional corporate functions may not be fully ready to manage an increasingly agentic workforce as AI agents take on more tasks across departments.

“AI agents are not simply a tech, finance or HR issue to be managed,” said Errol Gardner, EY’s Global Vise Chair for Consulting. “It’s a business issue and requires a comprehensive strategy. The new office is meant to create a central structure to oversee the deployment of AI and its economics across the organization.

The Head of Agent Economics will report to Anthony Caterino, EY’s Global Managing Partner for Business Enablement.

EY has already implemented measures to control costs related to AI. Earlier this year, the company began assigning token budgets for AI to employes in areas like software development, Diasio said. The goal is to encourage employes to pick the cheapest AI model for a task rather than automatically going for more expensive systems.

AI Router Helps Cut Token Use:

EY has also been experimenting with technology to optimise its AI spend.

The firm rolled out an internal AI router earlier this year that automatically routes employe questions to the most appropriate AI model, depending on variables like complexity and cost.

In some units, EY executives said, after deployment the system reduced AI token consumption by as much as 60%.

That’s part of a broader effort by companies to cope with the costs that come with the broadening use of generative AI. Uber Technologies and Walmart are among the companies that have also put limits on how workers can use AI.