ROI
1 min read · Reviewed 17 Oct 2026
In short
Whether a thing earned back more than it cost.
In plain English
Return on investment: what you got out against what you put in, including time. For AI tools the time cost is usually larger than the licence fee and usually ignored.
A real example
A £30-a-month tool that saves four hours a week is excellent. The same tool, if only one person ever learned it and they have left, cost you the fee plus the training.
Why it matters
Set the measure before you buy, and put a review date in the calendar. Without it you end up defending purchases rather than evaluating them.
