Digee / Wiki / Introducing AI
Overview
How much does an AI agent cost?
The price of an AI agent does not depend on the ‘amount of AI’ but on the task: how many systems need connecting, how complex the rules are and how much work there is. Running the model itself is often surprisingly cheap – most of the cost lies in design and integration.
In short
- Cost = one-off set-up + monthly running costs and support.
- The biggest price factors are the number of connected systems and the complexity of the rules.
- Return is calculated from the time the task takes today – not from a guess.
On this page
What makes up the price
- Discovery and design – walking through how the task is done today, setting the agent's limits and deciding how its work will be checked.
- Integration – email, accounting or booking system, shared folders. Every extra system means extra work.
- Set-up and testing – instructions, rules and testing on real cases with your team.
- Running the model – you pay the language model provider for the text it processes.
- Support and changes – fine-tuning rules, process changes, quality oversight.
How much does running the AI itself cost
Providers of language models charge by the amount of text processed. For typical admin tasks – reading an email, pulling details from an invoice, drafting a reply – the cost per case usually ranges from a fraction of a Czech crown to a few crowns (well under one euro). It depends on the model chosen and the length of the documents.
For a small or medium-sized business, running the model is therefore usually a smaller item than support and changes.
What raises and what lowers the price
| Raises the price | Lowers the price |
|---|---|
| More connected systems | One clearly defined task |
| Systems that cannot be connected (no API) | Common tools that connect easily |
| Inconsistent, out-of-date documents | Tidy documents and clear rules |
| Sensitive data with strict requirements | A ready-made scenario from the catalogue that only needs adapting |
How to estimate the return
An honest estimate starts from today, not from promises. Work out:
- how many times a week the task comes up,
- how many minutes one case takes,
- who does it and what their hour costs,
- what that person would do instead.
Example: 150 cases a week × 4 minutes = 10 hours a week. If the agent cuts the work down to a check lasting a few tens of seconds, it frees up most of those hours. The real figure only shows up when tested in live operation – which is why we always start with one task and compare it with how things were before.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an AI agent cost for a small business?
It depends mainly on the task and the number of connected systems. A specific quote is only possible after a short conversation about how the task is done today. At Digee, the first consultation is free and without obligation.
Do you pay for an AI agent monthly?
Usually there is a one-off set-up fee combined with a monthly fee for running, oversight and changes. Running the model itself is charged by the volume of text processed.
Is an AI agent worth it for a small volume of work?
Not always. If the task comes up only a few times a month, it may be cheaper to do it by hand or use simple automation. That needs to be said openly.
Want to know where AI would save you time?
We go through a normal week with you and find the first task worth handing to an agent. No obligation.
Related articles
How to choose your first task for AI
Don't start with a grand strategy. Pick one repetitive task you can test. Five criteria and a checklist to help you spot the right first task for AI.
→Comparison · 3 minAutomation vs. AI agent
Traditional automation follows fixed rules; an AI agent also handles unstructured input such as emails and documents. When to use which, and why to combine them.
→Explainer · 4 minWhat is an AI agent
An AI agent does more than answer: it finishes a task. It reads an email, finds the details, prepares the output and hands it to a person to approve.
→