Staggering token spending is forcing Indian firms to explore ways to rein in AI cost. This is where open-source models, small language models & inference layer startups step in, writes Swathi Moorthy.

OpenAI considers slashing token prices as startups mix AI models to cut costs. Uber burned its 2026 AI budget by Q2, signaling a looming industry price war.

At DevSparks 2026 in Bengaluru, NVIDIA's Jigar Halani made the case that every model choice and agent a developer ships has a direct cost implication, and that understanding…