China's AI large models transition to time-based pricing amid rapid growth in token demand

Odaily Planet Daily reports: As AI accelerates its integration into countless industries, the volume of tokens consumed by large models continues to rise. Data shows that from July 27 to August 2, China’s large AI models reached a weekly token consumption of 2.813 trillion, ranking first globally for fourteen consecutive weeks. According to multiple token supply platforms, current token demand is experiencing rapid growth, with peak periods facing severe supply shortages. In response to surging token demand and temporary computational shortages, several large model companies are shifting their pricing models from “pay-per-use” toward “fine-grained and dynamic pricing.” Kimi has introduced four subscription tiers priced between 39 and 559 yuan per month, while DeepSeek plans to raise prices for its open large model APIs and is expected to soon implement “peak-off-peak pricing,” with peak hours set at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily, during which prices will be double the standard rate. (CCTV Finance)