Generative AI Pricing Models: A Strategic Buying Guide
This IDC Perspective provides a definitive overview of the generative AI (GenAI) pricing models to help IT and sourcing professionals budget for GenAI deployments across multiple types of use cases. The generative AI pricing landscape is complicated because of the interdependencies across the tech stack. In addition, the relative "newness" of this market means that it is going through rapid packaging and pricing evolution, which brings a level of volatility that makes it difficult to plan or budget for. Early AI technology movers employ a low discounting strategy, signaling ongoing pricing model refinement. Enterprises are advised to take a cautious "wait and see" approach for noncritical use cases. In the evolving market, enterprises should evaluate providers based on flexibility, transparency, and accessibility, considering various pricing structures."In this fast-moving GenAI pricing landscape, enterprises should evaluate providers based on flexibility, transparency, and accessibility, considering various pricing structures," says Philip Carter, group vice president of Worldwide Thought Leadership Research at IDC. "With this document, IDC aims to provide a definitive overview of the generative AI pricing models to help IT and sourcing professionals budget for GenAI deployments across multiple types of use cases."
Please Note: Extended description available upon request.
Executive Snapshot
Situation Overview
Buying Considerations Across the Technology Stack
Infrastructure
The Model Layer
Applications
The Shift in IT Services Market
Negotiating Levers Across the Technology Stack
Five Burning Questions from Tech Buyers Answered
How Much More Should CIOs Be Budgeting for That Premium GenAI Pricing?
How Do You Define Consumption?
How Are Service-Level Agreements Changing Linked to GenAI?
How Does Credit Portability Work?
How Should Organizations Think About Measuring the Value and Efficacy of GenAI Features?