SECAI Core · phase 8 of 15
Cost-benefit analysis
A decision-making tool used in projects and procurement that compares the cost of a solution against the financial benefit it will provide to determine if it is a sound investment.
The Explain card
- Plain English
- A cost-benefit analysis weighs what a solution costs against the financial benefit it delivers, to decide whether it is a sound investment.
- Example
- A security team proposes an AI gateway with prompt inspection at a six-figure annual cost. The analysis estimates the reduction in data-leak incidents, the avoided regulatory fines, and the engineering time saved by central logging. If expected benefits clearly exceed the cost, the project gets funded.
- Why it matters
- Defenders compete for budget. Framing a control as "this saves more than it costs" wins approvals faster than "this is scary". It also stops you over-spending on risks that are cheap to accept.
- Hook
- Will the lock cost more than the bike?
Where it sits in the deck
Phase 8: Governance, Risk, and Compliance Frameworks
Individual controls need a governance envelope — introduce the risk and compliance structures, standards bodies, and regulations that frame AI accountability at scale.
