Token-based billing exposed AI's ROI problem: what the real numbers say

In Q1 2026, OpenAI and Anthropic moved enterprise customers from flat-rate plans to token-based billing. The change looks administrative, but it had a direct consequence for engineering teams: the real cost of AI became visible for the first time. The market's reaction over the following two months was enough to reopen a question many considered settled: does AI actually deliver measurable ROI? What happened when the bill arrived The most documented case is Uber. The company had enco...