# How to measure AI ROI

Source: https://getstartedwithai.net/articles/how-to-measure-ai-roi
Site: Get Started With AI
Tagline: Build AI automations that actually run your business.
Audience: solo professionals, freelancers, consultants and AI implementers in training
Contact: hello@getstartedwithai.co.uk

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# How to measure AI ROI

AI ROI in 2026 should be measured in hours saved per week, not abstract productivity gains. Most ROI claims fail because the baseline was never set. This guide is the four-metric measurement framework Richard uses on every implementation, with the baseline rules that make the numbers honest.

## The four metrics

- Hours saved per workflow per week.
- Output quality versus baseline (rubric-scored).
- Defects caught (errors that would have shipped).
- Recovery time from breakage (hours from problem detected to fix deployed).

## How to baseline

- Time the workflow manually for two weeks before any AI build. Use a stopwatch, not estimates.
- Score 5 example outputs against a 1-to-5 quality rubric.
- Count defects in the manual workflow over the two-week baseline.
- Note any breakage and how long it took to fix.

## How to measure after launch

Run the same measurement in weeks 4, 8 and 12 after launch. The comparison is the ROI; without the baseline, any number is fiction.

## Convert to pounds honestly

Hours saved times your blended rate equals the gross saving. Subtract: tool subscription, your internal time on monitoring, any rework caused by AI errors. The remainder is the real saving.

## Build your first AI system live with Richard

A 60-minute live build with Richard Batt. Bring one repeatable task. Leave with a mapped automation, success metrics and a deploy plan you can test the next morning. Free seat, no upsell.

### Live build session

The next live session covers the WIRE Method end to end on a real audience build.

[Join the next session](/webinar)

## Questions people ask before they start

### Do I need to code?

No. Most builds run on ChatGPT, Claude, Zapier, Make, Notion or Canva. Code tools are only used when they are the fastest route to a working outcome.

### How much time does each build take?

Most starter builds ship in 30 to 90 minutes. Each one states the outcome, the time to ship, the tool cost and the running system you should have when you finish.

### Is this for beginners or consultants?

Both. The site is calibrated for solo professionals who want the working system for themselves first, then repackage the same build as paid client work.

### Where should I start?

Start with the free Starter Kit, then ship the first ChatGPT project and the first Zapier flow. That gives you one assistant and one live automation by the end of the week.