Free Tokens Are Not an SLO: An Ops Cost Drill for AI Batch Queues

This week, two numbers trended: a harness at 100%, a model at 30%. For platform teams, a better pair is queue age and deadline slack. This article is a cost drill for the simplest AI batch path: free tokens, free server, non-negotiable deadline.

Disclosure: This article was prepared as part of MonkeyCode's product outreach.

MonkeyCode offers free model access and a free server option. That capacity is real. It is not an SLO. The tokens cost nothing. The queue is patient. Your deadline is not.

The missing variable