Measure cost per useful outcome
Track model, embedding, vector search, storage, orchestration and review costs against completed tasks—not only tokens. A cheaper call can be more expensive if it increases retries or manual correction.
Route work by complexity
Use smaller models, deterministic code or cached results for routine steps and reserve stronger models for tasks that need them. Reduce duplicated context and retrieve only evidence relevant to the request.
Put budgets into operations
Monitor cost by feature, customer and environment. Add usage limits, anomaly alerts and quality checks so cost reductions do not silently weaken the product.
References and further reading
Official and independent guidance used to support this practical overview. Product capabilities and pricing can change; verify current provider documentation before making a final decision.