LOOKING AHEAD: The cost of running AI agents is starting to shape how developers design them – and it's one reason a growing number are rethinking the role of the prompt altogether. As more complex agent systems take hold, particularly in coding, developers are finding that continuously running multiple models and sub-agents can consume tokens quickly. That reality is forcing a shift toward more efficient, self-sustaining setups – systems designed to operate with minimal human input once they are in motion.