AI Economics: Vendor Lock-in Economics — The Hidden Cost of AI Platform Dependency
Abstract
Vendor lock-in represents one of the most underestimated economic risks in enterprise AI adoption, with organizations discovering the true costs only when strategic pivots become necessary. This paper provides a comprehensive economic analysis of AI vendor lock-in, examining the mechanisms that create dependency, quantifying switching costs across major platforms (2.3x to 5.7x original implementation), and developing frameworks for optimal platform selection including the Vendor Dependency Index (VDI).
Fields of Study & Subjects
Digital Platforms and Economics
Artificial Intelligence Applications
Impact of AI and Big Data on Business and Society
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
- Publication date
- 12 February 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Preprint