07/29/2026
We just cut our 2026 AI spend by 50%.
Same capacity. Same quality. Half the cost.
We reviewed 12 AI workflows and shifted 40% of eligible tasks to lower-cost models:
πΉ Right-sized models: Matched task complexity to model scale β running our Retell, n8n, and Zapier workflows on the right mix of Claude and OpenAI models.
πΉ Cut API bloat: Reduced prompt length and eliminated duplicate calls.
πΉ Killed low-value pipelines: Sunset features with weak ROI.
AI spend creeps up quietly.
A new workflow here. A larger model there. More tokens, API calls, and agents.
Individually, decisions look rational. Together, they create an expensive stack.
Weβre seeing the same pattern with many teams: AI adoption moved fast. Cost governance didnβt keep pace.
Proud of our team for doing the disciplined engineering work to bring rising AI costs under control.
If your AI spend is growing faster than your ROI, letβs talk.
DM me or book 20 minutes: https://cepoch.com/venu
Happy to share what a quick spend audit looks like.