Analysis: China's AI Large Models Move Toward Time-of-Use Pricing, Token Demand in High-Speed Growth Phase

Odaily News: As AI accelerates its integration into various industries, token call volumes for large models continue to climb. Data shows that from July 27 to August 2, weekly token calls for Chinese AI large models reached 28.13 trillion, ranking first globally for the fourteenth consecutive week. According to multiple token supply platforms, token demand is currently in a high-speed growth phase, with supply struggling to keep up during peak periods. In response to surging token demand and periodic computing power shortages, multiple large model companies are adjusting their pricing models, shifting from "pay-as-you-go" toward "refined and dynamic pricing." Kimi has launched four subscription tiers ranging from 39 to 559 yuan per month, while DeepSeek will raise prices for its open API interfaces and is expected to introduce "peak-valley pricing" in the future, meaning that peak hours from 9 AM to 12 PM and 2 PM to 6 PM daily will cost twice the regular price. (CCTV Finance)