[danielmarkbruce]

An LLM is an extremely complex thing used for all manner of purposes. The hope that there would be some simple pricing construct that would map nicely to value provided is a pipe dream.

Pricing per token is at least reasonably straight forward. If you aren't getting value, you don't use the service. One doesn't buy a Ferrari and then complain that in their town Ferrari doesn't help them pick up women and hence it should cost less.

[janilowski]

I'd say it's more like going to a Ferrari dealership and they tell you they will build a car for you and bill you per gram of parts used. It might also not work. And they might also not build it ever, really — but they will bill you for any attempts to build it.

[danielmarkbruce]

That's fine though. If that doesn't work for you, don't buy. There are all manner of situations where what one wants or needs and what they get don't match up well. You don't price out every situation - it's take it or leave it. Pricing in a way that is somehow based on cost structure at least enables the provider to work to reduce the cost and hence price and win. Costco prices at a small margin above cost, they don't price "if this meets value prop X, pay Y and if only value prop A, pay B".