As AI-driven applications become increasingly integral to business operations, managing their usage and associated costs is crucial. Large language models (LLMs) from providers like OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Mistral can lead to significant expenses if not properly governed. Kong’s AI Gateway offers solutions by implementing token rate-limiting and tiered access features, allowing organizations to control AI usage and prevent overuse. Token management is vital as it directly impacts costs, with tokens representing segments of text that scale with query complexity. Through tiered access control, businesses can allocate resources efficiently, ensuring premium AI resources are reserved for high-tier users while maintaining performance and cost-effectiveness. Kong’s approach, which includes plugins like AI Rate Limiting Advanced, integrates AI-specific token logic into traditional API management workflows, enabling centralized control over AI resources. This system not only safeguards against misuse and overload but also aligns with compliance and governance standards, providing a strategic framework for AI resource management.