Picture this.
Imagine an agency using AI to draft client reports. If it sends a whole year of client documents with every request, it may pay to process the same context repeatedly. Sending the relevant material can reduce unnecessary processing. The right choice still depends on the quality the task needs.
Why it matters.
With many AI APIs, input and output usage contributes to the bill. The model, request size and number of requests all matter. Subscription products may price access differently. Either way, “we used more AI” is a weak business outcome.
The bit to remember.
A cheaper answer isn’t a saving if someone has to spend twenty minutes correcting it. Include checking time, failed attempts and the cost of running the workflow when you compare options.
“What does a useful, checked result cost us—not just a single request?”
Further reading: OpenAI: production best practices. The business example above is illustrative.