Chapter 2 · Lesson 4 of 4
AI Token Pricing: Input vs. Output Tokens
Tokens Cost Money
Most AI APIs charge by the token, often with separate prices for input tokens (what you send) and output tokens (what the model writes). Output tokens usually cost more.
Long prompts, pasted documents, and long replies all add up. Asking for "a three-bullet summary" instead of "everything you know" can save both time and money.
Shorter is not always better, though. Spend tokens where they add useful context, and trim the rest.
Quick check
Which change is most likely to reduce the cost of a request?
- A Pasting the same document twice to be safe
- B Asking for a short, focused answer
- C Asking the model to repeat your question back
- D Adding a long greeting before the question
Answer it in the game to earn +10 XP.
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