Ai Marketing4 min read
Episode 164 of Brains Bots and Business, "Prediction: You're About to Stop Paying for the Top AI Model", is above. Here's the written version.
Model routing means sending each AI task to the model that fits it. Routine jobs go to cheaper, faster models. Only the hard, high-stakes work goes to the premium one. Sandeep's prediction: within a year, defaulting to the most expensive model for everything will look as outdated as a fax machine.
Key takeaways
- Using the top AI model for every task is hidden waste.
- Sandeep's view: cheaper, faster models are now good enough for the vast majority of everyday tasks.
- Model routing sends routine work to cheaper models and saves the premium model for the hard stuff.
- The audit is one question per task: "Does this actually need it?"
Why is defaulting to the most expensive AI model a waste?
A year ago the advice was simple: use the most powerful model available, even if it costs more and takes longer. That was true. The cheaper models weren't good enough.
Sandeep's point is that this has changed. AI intelligence is getting dramatically cheaper, fast, and the cheaper, faster models now handle the vast majority of everyday work. The gap has basically closed.
Most companies haven't caught up. They still reach for the top-tier model for everything: rewriting an email, summarizing a document, reformatting a spreadsheet. That's a Ferrari-grade engine doing filing-cabinet work, and it's money straight down the drain.
What is model routing, and how does it work?
Think of it like your team. You don't send your highest-paid senior partner to file paperwork. You match the person to the task. Model routing does the same for AI.
| Task | Which model | Typical jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Routine, low-stakes | Cheaper, faster model | Email rewrites, summaries, quick formatting |
| Complex, high-stakes | Premium, top-tier model | Strategic analysis, creative work, complex logic |
Right now, most businesses are paying senior-partner rates for filing-cabinet work.
How do you start model routing this week?
One move. List the places your team defaults to the top model. For each task, ask: "Does this actually need it?"
Sandeep's bet is that most of them won't. Every task that doesn't is money back in your pocket.
For more on choosing AI models, read why the harness matters more than the AI model. Two more predictions from the same week: AI cybersecurity is now a budget line item (Episode 165) and why human-made is the new premium selling point (Episode 166).
Frequently asked questions
Is the quality difference between AI models still significant?
For hard, high-stakes work, yes. That is what the premium model is for. For the vast majority of everyday tasks, Sandeep says the gap has basically closed: email rewrites, summaries and spreadsheet formatting don't need the top model.
Do I need new software to start model routing?
No. Sandeep's first move is an audit, not a purchase. Look at where your team defaults to the top model and ask, for each task, whether it actually needs it.
What are the benefits of model routing?
You spend less on routine work and keep the premium model for the jobs that need it. Sandeep's claim is lower AI spend without cutting output.
Brains Bots and Business is where Sandeep shows you how to actually use AI to grow your company.
Sandbox Media is a marketing and AI agency in Milton, Ontario, serving businesses across the GTA and Canada.