# Tessl argues engineering teams need cost data and budget control for AI agents

> Original title: Who owns the cost of the AI software factory?

- Source: Tessl Blog
- Published: 2026-10-28T08:40:35.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/d84nw8xyh34ywu9jniz7dazkl
- Original: https://tessl.io/blog/who-owns-the-cost-of-the-ai-software-factory

## Summary

Tessl's blog post says AI agent costs need to be tracked per task, including failed attempts, retries, and review time, because a lower invoice alone does not show what the spending bought. The post lays out seven areas for managing an AI software factory, from cost visibility and intake estimates to model routing and turning recurring model decisions into code checks. The excerpt ends before its final section on budgets and stopping unproductive loops.