Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri: team cut projects, reduced token use
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri recently opened up about how his team tackled rising AI expenses by cutting out unnecessary projects and focusing on smarter data use.
On Lenny's Podcast, he explained that reducing "token" consumption (the bits of data processed and billed by AI providers) was key, calling some early experiments "silly things" that just weren't worth it.
Adam Mosseri warns of costly 'tokenmaxxing'
Mosseri pointed out that trimming excess is pretty straightforward, saying, "It is not that hard to build a token incinerator."
He warned that if companies keep pushing high data usage ("tokenmaxxing"), costs could get out of hand, so much so an engineer's data bill might rival their salary.
His advice? Set clear limits and tie resources to performance so spending stays sustainable.