// Hacker Noon · 9 February 2026

Our $3K-a-Week AI Bill Nearly Killed Our App. Here’s How We Fixed It

A startup hit an unexpected surge in AI API costs and built a lightweight, open-source optimizer using caching, model routing, and real-time monitoring—saving over $25K and extending runway by months.

Hacker Noon

@hacker-noon · Dinesh Kumar Elumalai

hackernoon.com

Hacker Noon@hacker-noon