What is AI credits?

Prepaid or included units of AI usage, such as Salesforce Flex Credits or Microsoft Copilot Credits, that agent actions draw down at a rate the vendor sets.

How does it work?

The vendor sells or bundles a pool of credits, and each AI action consumes some of them. Salesforce lists Flex Credits at $500 per 100,000, and a standard Agentforce action uses 20 credits. Its new editions bundle credits into the seat price, and unused credits do not roll over. Microsoft will turn on usage billing by default for new Copilot Business licenses bought through partners from December 1, 2026. The default limit is 4,000 Copilot Credits per user per month. Sage Intacct counts a request each time a user selects Send.

Why does it matter in finance ops?

A seat now carries two clocks: the subscription term and the credit burn. The forecast driver moves from seat counts to consumption, and the approval point moves from buying licenses to setting limits in an admin center. The exchange rate can be missing. Salesforce will meter each call an outside agent makes in Flex Credits, but it lists the rate as “TBA.”

The briefs give practical steps. Set the per-user limit yourself instead of accepting the default, and require finance sign-off on increases. Map credits to a GL account before the first invoice, and model real agent volume against included credits at renewal.

Where has it come up?

• Salesforce raises edition prices and pays you back in AI credits
• Salesforce will meter every call an outside AI agent makes
• Microsoft turns on usage billing by default for new Copilot Business seats
• Sage Intacct opens an agent marketplace and prices agents per request
• OpenAI’s DevDay adds always-on agents and lets AI budgets buy other software (an OpenAI commitment can pay partner software)

Which essays cover it?

• Margin-Based Pricing for AI Products

Which terms are related?

• token-based pricing
• usage-based billing

@misc{couch2026whatisaicredits,
  author = {Couch, Chris},
  title = {What is AI credits?},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Ends at Cash},
  url = {https://chriscouch.ai/what-is/ai-credits/}
}