How to deal with massive unpaid AI bills

AI services present unique financial challenges due to their high operational costs, making non-payment by users more impactful compared to traditional SaaS applications. To mitigate the risk of unpaid AI bills, several pricing models are employed, including prepayment, where users purchase credits in advance to avoid payment defaults, though this requires mechanisms to auto-replenish credits to avoid service disruption. Another strategy is threshold charging, which bills customers once their usage reaches a certain cost limit, with the possibility of cutting off service if payments are missed, although this approach may still require periodic billing to manage slow usage accumulation. Some companies implement spending minimums, charging users for a baseline usage even if their consumption is lower, and enterprise contracts allow for customized pricing and terms, though they add administrative complexity and demand a flexible billing system.