AI token usage is following a similar trajectory as cloud adoption, with costs increasing over time and potential for unexpected expenses.
Understanding token usage is crucial as scale can hide costs; similar to surprise cloud bills, token costs can escalate rapidly.
Developers commonly use AI in practice for 'vibe coding,' where tokens accumulate with each iteration, leading to potential cost overruns.
Best practices for managing AI token usage include scoping code slices, externalizing business rules, and writing focused prompts to optimize efficiency and cost.