Why the cheap model sometimes costs more than the expensive one
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WRITER
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WRITER
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Terms in this piece · Glossary
open weights — A model whose trained parameters are published for anyone to download and run — unlike API-only models you can access but never possess.
agent harness — The scaffolding around a model that turns it into a working agent — the loop, the tools it can call, and the rules for when to stop.
token — The chunk of text a model reads and writes in — roughly three-quarters of a word — and the unit AI usage is billed in.
Why it matters
Per-tokenThe chunk of text a model reads and writes in — roughly three-quarters of a word — and the unit AI usage is billed in.Full definition → price is a poor guide to per-task cost. Cheap models can burn more tokens flailing on hard work, and the orchestration agent harnessThe scaffolding around a model that turns it into a working agent — the loop, the tools it can call, and the rules for when to stop.Full definition → around a model moved cost by more than twofold at equal quality, which is the larger lever.
