The AI Stack Audit Framework

A stack audit is a systematic review of every AI tool you pay for or use. The goal: identify redundancy, gaps, and waste. Run it quarterly. This framework gives you a checklist, a scoring system, and a template so you can do it consistently.

What a Stack Audit Is

For each tool, you answer: Do we still need this? Is it worth what we pay? Does it overlap with something else? You produce a Keep / Replace / Cut verdict and a list of gaps — workflows that should be AI-assisted but are not.

The Audit Checklist (Per Tool)

For each tool, capture:

Column	What to record
Tool	Name
Cost	Monthly spend (or annual / 12)
Category	Writing, coding, image, automation, etc.
Usage	How often you use it (daily, weekly, rarely)
Unique value	What only this tool does for you
Overlap	Other tools that do similar things
Integration	How well it connects to your stack
Verdict	Keep / Replace / Cut

Add notes for context. "Rarely used but critical for client X." "Overlaps with Y; Y is better."

Scoring Framework: Keep / Replace / Cut

Keep — Used regularly, clear value, no redundancy. Or low cost and occasional use that justifies it.

Replace — Still needed, but a better or cheaper option exists. Plan a migration.

Cut — Redundant, unused, or not worth the cost. Cancel.

Be honest. "We might need it someday" is not a reason to keep. "We use it weekly for Z" is.

Identifying Redundancy

When do two tools overlap?

Same core function (e.g., two writing assistants)
One tool's new features make another redundant
A platform (Notion, Microsoft 365) now covers what a point solution did

When you find overlap, compare on: capability, price, integration, and ease of use. Pick one; cut or replace the other.

Identifying Gaps

Gaps are workflows that should be AI-assisted but are not. Ask:

Where do we still do manual, repetitive work?
Where are we slow that AI could help?
What did we try to automate but gave up on?

List gaps. Prioritize by impact and effort. Use >Smart Match to find tools for the top gaps.

Cost Optimization: The Per-Hour-Saved Calculation

For each tool, estimate: How many hours per month does it save? Divide monthly cost by those hours. If the result is less than your hourly value (or your team's), the tool pays for itself. If not, question whether you need it or whether a cheaper option exists.

This is a rough heuristic. Some tools enable work you could not do otherwise — value is not just time saved.

How to Run a Quarterly Stack Review

Export — Pull your tool list from >My Stack or your billing.
Fill the template — One row per tool. Complete the checklist.
Score — Assign Keep / Replace / Cut.
Act on Replace — Research alternatives. Use the directory. Run Smart Match for replacement ideas.
Act on Cut — Cancel. Export data first if needed.
Address gaps — Add 1–2 tools for the highest-priority gaps. Do not add more than you can integrate.

Template: Spreadsheet Columns

Tool | Cost/mo | Category | Usage | Unique Value | Overlap | Integration | Verdict | Notes

Copy this into a spreadsheet. Use it every quarter.

How This Connects to Hokai

>My Stack tracks your tools and can surface cost. >Smart Match helps find replacements when you score "Replace." The >Model Directory lets you compare alternatives. The audit framework is designed to work with Hokai's tools.

The Bottom Line

Run a stack audit quarterly. Use the checklist and Keep / Replace / Cut scoring. Find redundancy and cut it. Find gaps and fill them. Use the per-hour-saved calculation to validate cost. Hokai's stack tools support the process.