AWS Cost Explorer now provides 18-month forecasting and explainable AI-powered forecasts

Today, AWS announces that AWS Cost Explorer now empowers customers with three key improvements: two generally available enhancements, including an 18-month forecasting horizon extending from the previous 12-month limit, and improved machine learning models that analyze up to 36 months of historical data (vs. previous 6 months) to identify seasonal patterns and long-term growth trends, and plus a new public preview featureoffering AI-powered explanations that provide transparency into forecast methodology. AWS Cost Explorer helps customers analyze and manage their cloud spending through detailed cost and usage reports with forecasting capabilities. These enhancements provide the extended visibility needed for annual budget planning cycles.

These capabilities enable finance teams to account for seasonal patterns, holiday peaks, and business cycles with enhanced accuracy and present forecasts with greater stakeholder confidence. The AI explanations help teams understand and communicate the key drivers behind their cost projections, making it easier to identify optimization opportunities and build executive buy-in for cloud investments.

You can access the 18-month forecasting horizon directly through the AWS Cost Explorer console or via the GetCostForecast API. AI-powered explanations are currently available in the console only during public preview. To learn more about this enhanced feature, see Cost Explorer details page, user guides, and the announcement blog.