As huge AI bills spark concerns, OpenAI introduces new spending controls to help cut costs

Published 19 June 2026 · tech

Ever since AI firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic shifted to usage-based pricing, companies have had to pay according to how much they use AI

Ever since AI firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic shifted to usage-based pricing, companies have had to pay according to how much they use AI, much like paying an electricity bill. The more employees use AI tools and the more advanced the models they access, the bigger the bill becomes. In some cases, the costs have been staggering. Ride-hailing giant Uber recently revealed that it burned through an entire year's AI budget in just a few months, highlighting how quickly expenses can spiral when AI adoption takes off inside a company. Read Full Story While many companies believe AI can transform their operations, they are increasingly looking for ways to prevent expenses from running out of control.

Now, OpenAI appears to be responding to those concerns. OpenAI launches new spending controls The company on Thursday announced a set of new spending controls and usage analytics for ChatGPT Enterprise, its AI platform for businesses. The goal is simple: to give companies a clearer picture of where their AI budget is going and allow them to set limits before costs get out of hand. OpenAI said administrators will now get a detailed dashboard showing how ChatGPT and Codex credits are being used across the organisation. They will be able to see which employees are using the most AI, which products are consuming the most credits, and even which AI models are driving the highest costs.

The company said these insights will help businesses spot usage patterns early and make informed decisions about their AI investments. "With clearer visibility and more flexible controls, organizations can proactively manage costs, give teams the access they need, and keep AI investments focused on the work that matters most," OpenAI said in a blog post. Companies can set limits for teams and employees The company is also introducing spending caps. Account managers can now set a default credit limit for the entire workspace and create separate limits for different teams. They can even grant additional credits to employees who need more AI capacity for their work. Employees, meanwhile, will be able to check how many credits they have used and request more if required, along with an explanation for why they need them.

AI industry enters a new phase The move signals that the AI industry may be entering a new phase. For the past two years, the focus has largely been on building more powerful AI models. Now, as businesses spend millions of dollars on these tools, controlling costs is becoming just as important as improving capabilities. And for companies still trying to figure out whether AI is worth the investment, knowing exactly where every AI dollar is going could make all the difference. Ends